It Has to Be You
by SlySlyth
Summary: "Lexa? My name's Alicia. What should I call you? I was just coming to check on you." She smiled at Clarke who put her hand down. "My name is Clarke...you don't remember?" Clarke asked quietly.
1. Prologue

Based on: post/143391312149/clexa-soulmates-au-in-which-alicia-saves-elyza

Prologue

Clarke opened her eyes to the room she was stuck in. All she saw for a few minutes was bright white. It blinded her and caused her to squint a little. She slowly sat up, her head pounding as she slowly remembered what had hit her head. She had been running from walkers and glanced back to see how far away they were when she lost her footing and smacked her temple against the corner of a table. She put her hand up where the impact against her head was and her eyebrow went up a bit. Someone had bandaged her skin wound up. She stood up. All that was in the room was a bed. She went over to the door and tried to open it. No luck. _"Damn."_ she thought to herself. She looked through the small circle window on the door and glanced at the door of the room across from hers and saw that it had a lock on the outside. She decided she would punch the window to break it to unlock her door. She punched it three times before it finally gave in and let her hand through.

"Fuck" she breathed out. She reached down and unlocked the door. Breaking her hand out the window she pushed it open and walked into the hallway. She looked to her right and left. Her right seemed to dead end after several more sets of doors so, she went left. She ripped part of her shirt off to tie around her bleeding knuckles. When she was finished she glanced back up to see where she was and a young woman was standing right in front of her.


	2. So We Meet Again

Based on: post/143391312149/clexa-soulmates-au-in-which-alicia-saves-elyza

Chapter 1

Clarke couldn't believe it. She gasped a couple times and blinked away a few tears.

"L-lexa?" She asked timidly. She stared wide eyed at the brunette in front of her. She looked just like Lexa. The determined brow, the wandering and sly eyes. _"It has to be her,"_ she thought to herself. She went to reach a hand out to touch the brunette, the memory of Lexa getting shot and the helpless feeling she had. Her thoughts were broken when the brunette finally spoke up.

"Lexa? My name's Alicia. What should I call you? I was just coming to check on you." She smiled at Clarke who put her hand down.

"My name is Clarke...you don't remember?" Clarke asked quietly.

"Remember what? I've never met you before." She let her eyes wander up and down Clarke before she locked eyes with her.

"So we meet again." Clarke huffed out.

"The rest of my group wants to meet you. I got in a lot of trouble for going back to get you." She side eyed Clarke. "If you play the game right they might even let you stay with us." Alicia had turned around and started to lead Clarke out of the basement of a holding facility. "It's only a short walk to Strands house. My group is fixing to leave on his Yacht." She stared ahead of her, hope resonating in her eyes. Clarke tuned out her surroundings and was only half listening to Alicia.

" _Well, she certainly looks like Lexa._ "- "Strand is generous I guess..."- _"But she's not as emotionless. Well, she also"_ -"Nick is such a pain..."- _"didn't grow to become Heda in this life."_ -"...at least Chris will listen." _"Shit. I probably should've been paying more attention."_ Clarke made her mind snap back and focus on Alicia. She had finally stopped talking and was staring at Clarke.

"We need to hurry. How far is the house?" Clarke asked apathetically.

"It's right up here. His house sits along the coast." Clarke nodded. They made it to the house.

"Maybe you should go in first?" Clarke poised the question. Alicia nodded in agreement and headed inside, warming up the group before Clarke could come inside. Clarke looked down briefly and then kicked at the wall outside of the door. She stared at her reflection in the glass of the door. Her hair looked like it hadn't been washed in a week and her shirt was ripped on the left side. She squinted at her reflection in disgust. _"I need to get my hand on some leather. I'm not very protected in this T-shirt."_ She frowned as looked in her eyes when the door was opened and Alicia stuck her head out.

"Come in." She smiled to encourage Clarke. Clarke took the door and swung it open walking in. She walked behind Alicia and came into a living area. The decor screamed that the owner of the house had money. She stared at the group and the three guns trained on her. She narrowed her eyes at them.

"You put guns on an unarmed individual? I'm assuming one of you bandaged my head. So, you know I have no bites. Relax." She half pleaded with her eyes. Trust went two ways after all. Not that she'd be far behind her Heda anyway. The hispanic man who was pointing a gun at her first spoke.

"My name is Travis. Sorry about the guns, we just can't take any chances. I hope you understand." Clarke's eyebrow went up. "Alicia said you thought she was a woman named Lexa?" He let the question hang in the air. It went in through Clarke's ear and when it reached her mind she was overwhelmed at the memories that beckoned.

"Just a woman i was acquaintances with a while ago. They look very similar is all." She stared at him. An African American man spoke next.

"I'm Strand. What do you have to offer?" He smoothed his shirt and locked eyes with Clarke.

"I can hunt, fish, fight, and survive." She didn't break eye contact.

"Good enough for me. Just don't fail us when we need you or it might be the last thing you do." Clarke nodded. A memory of Lexa and her talking about the mountain men that ended in a kiss flooded her mind and she dared to glance at Alicia. Longing was in her eyes for a fraction of a second.

"To the Abigail." Strand said, nabbing Clarke's attention. He headed out of the house and walked to the beach to get to a row boat. It was decided everyone except Travis and Alicia's mom, Madison, would go with him to check the Abigail for safety. It was decided she instead would stay behind and wait for the second trip on the row boat. They decided to go at dawn and had three hours to pack and gather what they could for the boat. Clarke went with Nick to help him find food in the kitchen they could bring.

"Set everything you find on the counters." Clarke instructed him. They started emptying the pantry and going through the rest of the kitchen. When they were done they stared at all the food on the kitchen counters. "Take anything in a box and can. The fruit and bread that's still good can come too. You separate it out, Nick and I'll go find a bag." She headed off towards the front of the house where she remembered seeing a closet. She opened up the closet and started rummaging through a few of the boxes that were piled. She was on her third box when she found a duffel bag. She unzipped it and dumped it's contents into the box closest to her. She was just about to yell to Nick she found one when she heard a gunshot.

Instantly her mind was put back beside Lexa as she died from a gunshot wound.

Her eyes filled with panic she screamed out "Lexa! Lexa, where are you?" She started running frantically around the house. Alicia stepped into the hall that Clarke was anxiously weaving in and out of. "Thank the Gods." Clarke exhaled upon seeing Alicia. She crumpled to the floor and put her hands to her face. Great, now they would all see her as mental and not trust her around a gun. She didn't even realize how hard she had been sobbing until she felt arms snake around her and a familiar sounding voice say "It's okay.".


	3. I Was Commander?

Based on: post/143391312149/clexa-soulmates-au-in-which-alicia-saves-elyza

A.N. **Thank you to the guest review. I edited the ship name. Feel free to give advice or let me know when other bits are wrong. My beautiful fiance** **é** **does not know any of the lore of either show very well and just edits. I am toooooo lazy to be bothered to put apostrophes in my work.**

Chapter 2

Clarke woke to gentle rocking of the sea. She had let Alicia take the last room; which only had a queen sized bed in it; so she was in the game room sleeping on the had been on the boat for two days so far. The corpse in room a floor up had started to smell but she didn't want to push Travis to throw it overboard. She knew how tough it was to lose someone.

The Abigail was pretty nice for a small yacht. It had three separate areas to go to below deck. The game room was the bottom floor. Alicia and her parents slept in the two rooms found on that floor. The next floor was the living room area. It had two sleeping rooms, each with two twin sized beds. The next floor up was dining area and the small kitchen. If you went out from the kitchens dining area it led out to the dock. That was Clarke's destination in mind.

She needed to see something other than the boat. She went out with her sketch pad and sat down by the edge of the dock. She must've been on the dock for at least an hour when she heard someone cough. She glanced up as she switched pages. Alicia had her hair in a messy bun and was wearing a t-shirt and jean shorts.

"You know when we finally land, you'll need to cover your skin up. Walkers would love to bite your legs." She continued avidly on her sketch pad, drawing how the horizon looked from her vantage point. Only periodically looking over to where Alicia sat down with a book.

"I'm sorry I freaked about the gunshot. In another life, we were happy for a brief time and then a stray bullet hit your heart and you died in my arms." _"I just couldn't go on without again."_ she turned back to her drawings.

Alicia told her group not to question or talk about what had happened that day when the gun fired. They needed to put attention to properly mourning Liza, Alicia's half-brothers mom, who had been shot in the head that day because she had been bit and she didn't want to turn. Alicia was staring at Clarke forming a reply when her mother stepped out.

"Girls, breakfast is ready." Clarke nodded. She put her pencil on the page she was on in her sketch pad and closed the page. She brought the book with her and put it under her seat for breakfast. She looked to her left and Nick was already sitting, eating vigorously at the toast, remaining fruit, and eggs. Chris sat to her right.

She glanced at him and saw he had picked up her sketch book. She eyed him as he flipped through the pages, waiting until he was done so she wouldn't cause him to damage the pages, to hit his arm and take it back. She ate quickly and headed back out onto the deck.

She saw a raft of people screaming help coming towards the yacht. They all looked like they had been under the sun's heat for far too long and were horribly sunburnt. She ran back inside. "People need help. Get me some water and some minor food in a bag and I'll swim it out to them." Strand glanced at her.

"I'm not stopping the ship to help them. We can't trust anybody."

"That's why I'll be swimming out to them. Besides, what if they turn? We don't know if walkers can survive in the water yet and I'm not sure I want to take that risk. They can have my portion of food if it's really that much of a problem for you Strand." She huffed her chest out a little to look a little intimidating.

Madison spoke up, "I agree with Clarke. We can't just send those people to their deaths. For all we know, that could be us in the future." She tried to reason with Strand.

"Fine, make a bag and Clarke can go out. But if they keep her hostage or something, I'm not going to go out there to save her." He eyed Madison and then locked eyes with Clarke. Clarke nodded in understanding. Within five minutes she had a bag full of supplies for the other group. They even included Aloe to help with their sunburn until they could get to land.

Clarke went to the deck and dropped the bag. She started stripping. She only had two sets of clothes and she wasn't about to get half of them wet. She kept her bra and undies on and grabbed the bag. She dove in the water in perfect formation. Everyone but Strand was on deck and only when they saw Clarke's head come above the water did they all exhale. She swam as fast as she could over to the raft. She took the sopping wet bag and threw it up onto the raft.

"If you keep paddling that way."She pointed west. "You'll reach land." The group smiled and tried to pull her up on the raft. She swam back a bit. "Good luck and may the Gods guide you." She waved as they all screamed out thank you. She swam back to the yacht and climb back up onto the deck.

Alicia had a towel and handed it to her, pride showing in her face. Once she was dressed, without her sopping underwear, she went back to her spot on deck to continue her sketch from earlier. Alicia sat down beside her.

"How do you know I'm this...this Lexa?" Clarke put her pencil down. She flipped to a few pages back. One where she had sketched half of lexas face, the prominent feature of the sketch being the war paint.

"This is how I know. You had said we'd meet again and we have. Do you want to remember? I can tell you of that life but you have to keep it between us. The group is already having a hard time accepting me." Alicia nodded and with her finger marked an x across her chest. "Between us." She echoed. "In that life you were Commander Lexa. You led the 12 clans and they called you their Heda. You ruled with an iron fist. You were only carefree the night that bullet hit you." She flipped to the first page of her sketch book. It showed Clarke abstractly holding a cloth and sobbing. "I didn't even realize what you had meant to me before you were gone." She teared up and closed her sketch book, hugging it against her chest. Alicia's eyes were big.

"I..I was a commander?" Her eyes went from looking in awe to being skeptical. "I couldn't even keep my brother safe from himself. Let alone 12 clans." She mumbled. Her eyes were on Clarke's sketch pad. "Maybe instead of talking, you show me?" She offered. Clarke stared at her and then handed her the sketch pad.


	4. I've Never Ridden Before

Based on: post/143391312149/clexa-soulmates-au-in-which-alicia-saves-elyza

A.N. **Sorry this update is late. My toptop freaked out yesterday so I couldn't type anything out. It's a shorter than usual chapter...oh well. Enjoy and feel free to comment.**

Chapter 3

They had been sitting on the deck for an hour. Alicia would flip it open to a random sketch and tell her the story behind the sketch. Alicia closed the sketchbook and opened it. The sketch that was revealed was two pages. It was from behind the two ladies heads as they were riding on the same horse, Lexa and then Clarke. The forest was sketched in front of them with a warrior rider in front. Alicia looked at Clarke expectantly waiting for her to tell the story. Clarke sipped at the water beside her before she started.

"Before we fought the mountain men."She started.

Clarke opened the flap to Lexas tent, Indra storming in after her.

"Heda em cam in when ai said no. Want me kom teik her back kom the skai kru?" (Commander she came in when I said no. Want me to take her back to the sky people?) Indra said with a threatening glare in Clarke's direction.

"No Indra. Bants osir." (Leave us) Lexa watched as Indra slightly bowed at the her before she left the room, her angry aura leaving with her.

"I thought we could start planning now Lexa. I can't wait three days to plan when my people are stuck in that mountain." Clarke looked determinedly at Lexa. Lexa sighed out loud as she stood.

"Come Clarke." Lexa started to leave her tent, the command given to Clarke in passing. Clarke rolled her eyes and followed. Lexa led her to where they kept the horses tied up in camp. Lexa had two warriors following her and Clarke. When they arrived at the horses Lexa commanded the boy who worked with them to get them ready to ride. Once the horses were ready to ride, Lexa swung her leg up and over and settled herself on the back of her chestnut colored horse. Clarke's eyebrow went up as she watched Lexa mount her horse. Clarke faked confidence as she tried her best to copy Lexa's movements.

"Ai spot." Lexa said loud enough for the warrior in front of her to hear.

Clarke shifted uncomfortably on the back of her horse. She'd never ridden a horse before but she wasn't about to tell Lexa that. The path veered left and Clarke tried to adjust her weight to match that of the horse and felt that she had adjusted wrong. She felt her loose her grip in the furs that covered the back of the animal and slipped toward the ground. Landing in a groan on the floor Clarke rubbed her head. The warrior behind her laughing at her inexperience she felt the blood rush to her cheeks. Lexa hopped off her horse and quickly made it over to Clarke.

"Are you okay Clarke?" Lexa studied Clarke's face. Clarke flushed and nodded.

"I've never ridden before." She mumbled.

"You can ride with me. Take her horse beside yours." Lexa's eyes sparkled mischievously for a second and then returned to her normal apathetic self before her warriors could notice as she instructed the rear warrior. Lexa mounted and stuck her hand out for Clarke to grab. Clarke grabbed her hand and swung herself over, wrapping her arms around Lexa's waist as she quietly squealed in protest at the movement. Lexa smiled to herself as she picked up the speed of the horse. It was fifteen minutes before the trees cleared and an oval shaped meadow came into view. Most of the flowers were blooming and the white petals shone brightly in the sun. Clarke brought her arms back to her sides so Lexa could dismount and then so she could get off the horse as well.

"This is absolutely beautiful Lexa. I wish I had brought something to sketch on." Clarke's voice gave away how in awe she truly was.

"I found this place with Anya." There was a glimpse of sadness in Lexas eyes. "I brought you to help you remember that even amongst all of the death, there can still be beauty found in the most unexpected of places." Lexa briefly remembered Anya and how she sounded when she had told those words to her.

Clarke nodded as she picked some flowers and stuck them in her hair and a few in her pocket. She'd put them in her book later.

"Thank you Lexa." Clarke locked eyes with Lexa and momentarily got lost in her eyes before snapping back to where she was. She started awkwardly looking anywhere that wasn't Lexa and fiddled with her thumbs.

"We made it back to camp but not before you were determined to have me riding my own horse. After about the 6th time of me falling on my head, I said enough. So you pulled me up on your horse again and we rode back to camp, no talk about planning early was heard from me the remainder before our set day." Clarke smiled remembering as she felt the yacht below her.

"We should go back in." Alicia said sadly starting to get up from where she was sitting beside Clarke

"Whatever you want...Heda" Clarke barely made the name for commander heard as she nodded standing up and extending her hand out to Alicia to help her up.


	5. What Did You Do To Me?

Based on: post/143391312149/clexa-soulmates-au-in-which-alicia-saves-elyza

Chapter 4

Alicia made it back to her room and flopped down on the queen sized bed. All of the stories were swirling in her head. If she really had been a commander wouldn't she remember? All of the sketches that showed Lexa's face had looked like her with weird makeup on. There's no way she knew Clarke before she saved her. Alicia's brow creased as she deepened her thoughts. Clarke had suggested meditating for her to try to remember. She sat up with her back straight and her legs crossed. She put her hands on her knees and exhaled. As she inhaled she tried to clear her mind and keep it blank before she would allow her subconscious to take over and show her what she wanted to see. It took a few minutes of seeing black before a faded image started to appear. Alicia was walking toward a blonde woman in the dark. The outline of people's aura were behind her as she spoke to the blonde woman.

"I do care, Clarke." She sounded strong but her eyes felt a heaviness grow behind them. "But I made with this choice with my head and not my heart." Clarke looked angry, glaring at her as Alicia's mind view shifted, blurring out of that memory as a new one came forth.

Clarke was before you. She was covered in dirt and her hair looked like it had been stained with berries. You stood up from your throne and walked over to where the guards were keeping her on her knees. You extended a hand to help her up but she stood on her own. Once you were close enough to her face, she spit in yours, yelling things you don't remember. The feeling of being heartbroken came up your throat as you waved at the guards. You wouldn't treat her like a prisoner. You told the guards ahead of time which room was hers. They grabbed her and dragged her screaming out of your throne room. You turned back and sighed as you sat back down into your throne. After all, you did betray her.

Alicia's vision went fuzzy and she opened her eyes. Her head was starting to hurt from all the concentrating. The familiar look of her temporary shelter gave her some relief. She went out to where Clarke was trying to nap and grabbed her arm. She dragged her back into her room and quietly closed the door so no one would suspect anything.

"What did you do to me?" Alicia asked fiercely. "This has to be some kind of trick. Some kind of..." She thought for a moment. "Magic, maybe or have you been spiking my drinks?" She pointed a finger at Clarke and kept advancing upon the blonde. Eventually Clarke reached the edge of the bed and fell back, catching her balance with her hands.

"What are you talking about?" Clarke asked confused. Her eyebrow went up.

Alicia turned around. "I tried that meditation thing you suggested. We were at a mountain and I made a decision with my head and not my heart? And then we were in a throne room and spit on my face." She turned back around quickly. "But how do I know that they are even real? How do I know you didn't use some sort of psychology junk and make my mind make that up?" She was pacing in front of the bed, her finger tapping on her cheek in thought.

"Why would I go to the trouble of making you believe something like that when we hadn't even met before that hallway? You helped me in the house. Isn't that proof enough?" Clarke asked. Panic rising as she remembered the day Chris's mother had been shot. She shook her head and put all of her focus on the girl in front of her. "And yes, I did spit in your face. You had betrayed my trust for the sake of your people and then had one of your men kidnap me in the woods." She patted the bed beside her as an unspoken question.

Alicia sat down. "Okay okay. So I was this Commander then I suppose. We can't talk about this to anyone. They'll think we're ill or something."

"That's implied." Clarke stared at Alicia.

"What now?" Alicia asked quietly.

"We start over?"

Alicia started to form a small smile as she took note of Clarke's eyes and the way her curly hair just did whatever it wanted on her head. "I like the sound of that Clarke."

Clarke frowned and her head turned as she thought for a moment.

"Clarke was my name then. Call me Elyza now. A new name for a new time." Elyza smiled at Alicia as Alicia took her hand.

"What about a last name?"

"Last names are irrelevant now aren't they?" Clarke teased. "I'll think about it." She answered more seriously. She looked into Alicia's eyes and just as soon as Alicia started to lean in, Strand started shouting from the wheel house. Elyza darted up quickly and opened the door, looking at Madison who had just come out of her room and was finishing up with the buttons on the bottom of her shirt. Madison flushed a little as the four ran up stairs.

Strand was standing at the bottom of the steps in the kitchen that led up to the wheel house. "Another ship is approaching. I tried to outrun them but the Abigail can only go so fast."

Elyza looked around. "How many weapons do we have?"

"Three guns and four knives." Travis stated glancing around at everyone.

"I'll take a gun." The older hispanic man said gruffly. His name was David and Elyza tended to avoid him at all costs.

"Give Alicia a knife. I can fight with my fists if I need to." Elyza stared at Travis. "Strand can you shoot?"

"Yes. I'm an average shot." Strand walked closer to the table.

"Give him the third gun. It's his yacht. If someone's going to have a gun, it should be him." Elyza looked between everyone. Travis handed Strand the gun as people were shouting over each other giving opinions and who they think should have what weapon. Alicia squeezed Elyza's arm as she took the knife from Travis. Travis handed the remaining knives out to Madison, Chris, and Nick. Making Ofelia and Elyza the only ones unarmed. She frowned slightly and shrugged it off.

She would protect Alicia this time and neither one of them would be ending their fight this time.


	6. Have You Ever Even Thrown A Punch

Based on: post/143391312149/clexa-soulmates-au-in-which-alicia-saves-elyza

 **TW** slight mention of rape junk (it's not detailed at all but it's still implied) in parapgraphs 7,8, and 9.

Chapter 5

Elyza watched the door. Strand was standing beside her. They had everyone else go back to their rooms. If these people were going to hurt them, then she would try her best to limit the casualties. The motion of the boat shifted slightly.

"The plank is down." Elyza whispered towards Strand. She motioned with her hand for them to get down. She hid directly under the table as she heard Strand quietly close the door to the wheel house. The door from the dock opened and she laid flat on the floor. She watched three sets of feet go downstairs, one set stay in the dining room, and one set head towards the wheelhouse door. They had kept all the lights off to give the illusion that they were all asleep in the yacht. Elyza stuck her foot out and tripped the set headed towards the wheelhouse.

The person who hit the floor gasped in surprise. Elyza was quickly out from under the table, her fists up. The woman on the floor grinned at her showing that she had a gap in her teeth and that several bottom teeth were missing.

"Want me to add to the missing teeth?" She threatened, quickly turning around to find that the person who had been there had gone downstairs once they discovered that there were three stories to the yacht. She turned back around in time to feel a punch to her jaw. She stretched her jaw out and rolled her eyes.

"Have you ever even thrown a punch?" Elyza quickly went into a straddle position and shifted left, blocking with her right arm as she moved her attackers arm clockwise and grabbed a firm hold of it. She round kicked the woman in the chest, let go of her arm, slide her right arm under the woman's and put her right leg in betweens the woman's. Elyza put her right hand on the top right shoulder of the woman while she was dazed and her left hand on the woman's bottom left side of her back. She pushed with her hands and hip bumped at swiftly as she could, following the woman as she fell, using her knees to pin the woman against the floor she punched against the temple of the woman. She felt the woman resist fighting and searched her. She found a small pocket knife and a circle thing of black face paint. She squinted at the woman and saw a few black lines of the paint against her cheeks.

Elyza rolled her eyes and opened the paint, painting quickly she copied Lexa's warpaint and smiled to herself. Her smile was interrupted when a gunshot was fired from the second floor, followed by several other gunshots. Panic enveloped her. Elyza couldn't tell if it came from the second or third floor. As dexterously as she could she went down the steps to the second floor. She saw a man against the door frame to David's room and one on the floor by the door frame, blood endlessly pouring. She froze at the man on the floor and blinked a few times. It wasn't Alicia and that's what mattered.

A man shouted from the third floor as Alicia screamed at him. Elyza snapped out of it, She moved toward the guy by the door. "Hey!" She shouted. She had her hand in the ready position and as he turned his head to look at her she let the momentum of him moving and her thrusting uppercut connect with his jaw. He immediately slumped against the wall as David peeked out of his room. He tossed Elyza the gun. She caught it and made sure the safety was on before sprinting to the next set of stairs and leaping down them. She caught herself and sprinted to Alicia's door. The man had her against him on the bed as she was screaming out.

"Don't you dare touch her!" Elyza threatened as she pointed the gun towards the man back and pointed the gun at his head. "I've killed one of you yet. Don't force me too." The man moved off of Alicia, his pants had been on the whole time. Elyza let out a breath she didn't know she was holding.

"If you know what's good for you and yours, you'll collect your party and get back on your ship." The man looked at her. He was bald and had several makeshift tattoos on his arms. He ran at her and tackled her to the ground, the gun sliding out of her hands as she fell. Both the man and Elyza looked at the gun and then each other as they were sitting up. Elyza took the pocket knife out of her pocket and opened it up. The man was crawling toward the gun and Elyza took the blade and put it in the hand that was closest to her. He screamed and Elyza took it out of his hand. He sat up as she stood up. He cradled his hand and she reared her leg back. She aimed at his neck but he caught the kick and flipped her, her head landing hard against the floor.

"Fuck" She mumbled out. She stood back up as the man was pointing the gun at her. She looked behind him as Strand put his gun against the man's head. They must've been so caught up in the fight that they had forgotten about their surroundings. The man looked confused as he felt the barrel against his temple.

"You are going to give the gun to Clarke..."

"Elyza." Alicia corrected. "She's going by Elyza now."

Strand nodded. "Elyza" He corrected. "You are going to hand that gun to Elyza, get your people, and get off of my yacht." He hissed in the ear of the man. Elyza walked toward the man and took the gun out of his hand, pointing it at him as they all followed him up the stairs and took each person back onto their ship.

Once the man was officially off of the yacht, Strand quickly put the yacht back in motion, putting as much distance between the other boat and his as fast as possible.


	7. Only Dabbled?

Based on: post/143391312149/clexa-soulmates-au-in-which-alicia-saves-elyza

Chapter 6

"You're hurt." Alicia softly touched Elyza's hair.

"I'm fine." Elyza laid on her couch. Alicia took her thumb and swiped at the blood on her lip.

"This is fine?" She showed the blood to Elyza.

"It was a fistfight Alicia. The probability of not getting punched and smacked around isn't very low." She sat up and put her hand on her temple. The room spinned momentarily and Alicia grabbed her hand slowly pulling her off of the couch. Alicia opened the door to her room and pulled Elyza in. She brought her to the bathroom and with a damp wash cloth gently washed the war paint off. She set the wash cloth in the skin and pulled Elyza up. She stepped back out and was now on the other side of the door that lead out to the game room and as she was about to close the door she said.

"You get the bed and I get the couch tonight." Elyza frowned as the door snapped shut.

"Fine." Alicia closed the door behind her and Elyza took her pants and her bra off, kicking them into a pile by the bed. She quickly fell asleep and into a dream.

She was in a room where the walls and the floors were made of concrete. She could hear walkers in the distance and started to feel panic rise in her chest. She looked down to see where to run and saw the ground was littered in candles. "Lexa" she called out nervously. She looked at the far wall and saw Lexa chained to the wall. She started to run but as she ran the walls extended for Lexa to just be out of her reach. A hooded figure in black stepped out of the dark and as he turned toward Lexa, Lexa's image was shifting to look like Alicia. The hooded figure took his hood down to reveal that it was Bellamy. "Bellamy don't!" She screamed out. Bellamy grinned at her, his eyes black holes as he took a knife out of his robes. Elyza started running in an attempt to save her and as the knife was brought down into Alicia's heart, she woke up.

Alicia was beside her, the door to the room closed. "You were screaming out in your sleep. Are you okay?" Elyza felt the tears build up and started to cry. Alicia sat with her back against the headboard of the bed and opened her arms. "Come here Elyza." Elyza climbed into her lap, her legs swinging over Alicias, her head resting against Alicia's chest so she could hear her heartbeat. Alicia stroked her hair and hummed the melody to a familiar classical piece.

"Did you play an instrument before the dead came back?" Elyza sniffled and sat back. Alicia's eyes shone bright in the moonlight that was cast into the room.

"I played some piano when I was younger. All it really did was get me interested into classical music. Don't let that fool you though, punk rock is a meaning of life." Her eyes glistened as she talked about one of her favorite things. "Did you play?"

"I might've dabbled in some guitar and bass." She settled her head back against Alicia's chest, Alicia put her cheek on the top of Elyza's head.

"Only dabbled?" Alicia grinned while asking the question. The amusement she felt coming through with her tone of voice.

"Well, yeah. The heat in Australia warps the wood real bad in the summer but that was mostly my fault leaving it in a storage unit during the summer." Elyza chuckled lightly, her australian accent hadn't at all been unnoticed while she had been in Alicia's presence for the last few days.

Elyza felt her eyes grow heavy as she laid against Alicia's chest. "We should move so we're laying down." She groggily managed to get out.

"Hmmmmm future us problem." Alicia mumbled in reply, lazily intertwining her fingers with Elyza's.

Elyza slowly opened her eyes. The light in the room had been enough to wake her up. She felt the arm around her hip and the body next to hers and relished the feeling. It had been far too long since they had shared a bed. At some point in the night they must've slid down the bed for comfort. Elyza gently lifted Alicia's hand and rolled over to face her. She was peacefully asleep and the light accentuated the curve of her right eye and the tip of her nose. Elyza's gaze fluttered to Alicia's lips. Elyza wiggled a hand out from under Alicia and lightly touched Alicia's cheek. Her fingers felt the soft skin and she got goose bumps.

Alicia grumbled in her sleep and move her arm from Elyza's hip to be in between them instead. Her other arm remaining under Elyza's neck. Elyza moved closer to Alicia and kissed her nose and then her cheek. When she pulled back to settle back to where she was Alicia smiled and then opened her eyes.

"Good morning." Elyza smiled back at her.


	8. We Are On A Yacht, You Know?

Based on: post/143391312149/clexa-soulmates-au-in-which-alicia-saves-elyza

Chapter 7

"I never told you thank you last night so, thank you for not only saving me but saving well, everyone." Alicia looked at Elyza with pride. Elyza rolled her eyes.

"If you felt the earth move right then, it was from me rolling my eyes. I wish David wouldn't have shot the one guy but at least most of them made it off the ship alive." Elyza blinked a few times, fluttering her eyes at Alicia.

"When you asked what I was gonna change my last name too, I never asked, so, what's yours?" Elyza figured she might as well know the last name of woman laying beside her.

"It's Clarke." Alicia giggled. Elyza couldn't contain the laughter that bubbled up.

"The Gods sure have a sense of humor don't they? That answers the question then. My new irrelevant last name is now officially Lex." Alicia was laughing so hard at the irony in the name that she started to cry.

"S-stop Elyza. Good God." She wiped at her eyes with her free hand. She had started to calm down but as soon as she focused back on Elyza's face she started laughing again. Elyza grinned at all the laughter. She only got to hear Lexa chuckle, never a real laugh, and the sound pleased her ears to no end. Alicia eventually calmed down and ran her free hand down her hair. She moved it off of her shoulder.

"Yesterday, during the fight, what happened to your knife? How did he get on top of you?" Elyza looked concerned. If Alicia couldn't fight she would be constantly worried about her safety.

Fear crossed Alicia's eyes. "He had opened the door and I was holding the knife and i tried to jump on him but he pushed me down as I was mid jump. I landed on the bed and dropped the knife beside the bed as I fell. I think my wrist hit hard and I dropped it. Anyway, he was holding me down by my wrists so I couldn't try and take the knife back. That's when you ran in shouting." Alicia moved her arm back over Elyza's hip.

Elyza locked eyes with Alicia as the atmosphere took a more serious feel. "I can teach you how to fight."

"I don't want to know how to fight. I want to know how to survive." Elyza hummed in approval. "I can teach her to fight in time." Eliza reminded herself.

"Okay. Here's your five rules of survival. One, if you can run then run. Two, If you can't run, surrender...and then run. Three, If surrendering is a bad idea, hide and then run. 4, if hiding isn't an option, let your attackers fight each other and then run. 5..."

" More running?" Alicia sounded slightly frustrated.

"No. Talk your way out of it. Although if needed I think you'd be fine." Elyza broke her gaze and stared at a spot on the wall behind Alicia.

All of a sudden the door opened. Elyza moved Alicias arm off of her hip and was instantly off of the bed in a fighting stance. She saw it was just Madison and sighed.

"You could've knocked?" Elyza's eyebrow went up at her.

"Sorry, I just...you weren't on the couch so, I just wanted to make sure you both were okay and on the yacht."

"We're fine Mom." Alicia smiled happily at her mother.

"Is everyone doing okay?" Elyza asked, having settled under the covers beside Alicia.

"Everyone is fine. Still trying to get the blood stain off of the floor but, I think it's a lost cause. Travis is cooking up some food if you want any." Madison looked at Alicia expectantly.

"We'll be up eventually. Don't wait on us." Alicia answered. Her mother's brow creasing with momentary confusion.

"Okay." Madison closed the door behind her as she left the room.

Alicia turned toward Elyza. "You got up awful fast. Ya know, we are on a yacht?" Elyza scoffed and pouted.

"Want to look through my sketchbook again?"

"Yes." Alicia nodded her head slightly with her answer. Elyza got out of the bed and put her pants on. "I'll be right back Alicia."

Alicia listened to the quiet for a moment. "She saved me. I feel like she repaid a debt doing that. She thought that man was hurting me." She emphasized hurt. "She's right though. The Gods really do have a sense of humor." Elyza came back in the room. She closed the door and her pants were off by the time she got to the bed. Alicia giggled at her.

"Pants are confining okay? Might as well relax while I can. Once we get to land it's back to business." She plopped on the bed her sketchbook in hand. She set it in between Alicia and herself letting Alicia open it and find a page. The sketch was the image of a tree trunk that had been carved to look like a bulls eye. A knife stuck out of the bullseye.

Clarke groaned in frustration. No matter how many times she flicked her wrist and did exactly what Lexa said, she just could not get the throwing knives to hit their target. Lexa watched from behind and displayed a small smile at her frustration.

"Why did I agree to this?" Clarke huffed out. "Learn how to throw she said. It'll be easy she said." Clarke quietly mocked to herself.

Lexa approached and was now standing beside Clarke. She grabbed one of the knives from the hip holster she gifted to her. "Clarke." She calmly said. "Like this." She expertly let a knife go and it very quickly found its target. Lexa stood beside Clarke, putting her stomach to Clarke's back. Lexas face was right beside Clarkes as she covered Clarke's hand with her own. Clarke blushed at the close proximity to Lexa. She could feel Lexas breath on her cheek and she felt the blush starting to creep its way up her face. Lexa moved Clarke's wrist back and had her holding the knife by the tip. She flicked Clarke's wrist and sent the knife flying. It hit its target and Lexa stepped back.

"See? It's not that hard Clarke. Stop overthinking and just react." Lexa advised.

Clarke grabbed another knife and threw it, remembering the feel of Lexas hand on hers. The knife landed just outside of the bullseye; her closest hit yet. Lexas eyes showed pride as she grabbed Clarkes hand and kissed it.

"May your knife always meet its mark." Lexa locked eyes with Clarke.

"Why don't you try drawing?" Elyza suggested. She flipped to an empty page and produced the pen that was hiding in the nightstand beside the bed.

Alicia looked apprehensively at Elyza. She started to draw but the shapes weren't coming out as she had hoped. She was trying to shade but using a pen only made it that much harder. Elyza sat behind Alicia and grabbed her hand.

"No Alicia." She picked up the woman's hand. Like this. She gently guided Alicia's hand across the paper. She smoothed some lines and evened out some of the rougher shading. Elyza let go of Alicia's hand and watched her continue. The pride consuming her as she watched.


	9. Stay, Please

_**A.N. Hey guys! Sorry it's been so long since the last update! I have actually been writing and updating this story pretty consistantly on AO3 but started to feel hella guilty about not uploading here. I'll load two chapters a day until you're all caught up and then I'll go ahead and update you with AO3. My writing style has changed as I've written this story so I've kept the chapters exactly as I posted them on AO3; trash and all. I hope you enjoy! Thank you for reading! Follows, favorites, and comments are always welcome.**_

Strand had warned them the next day at breakfast of a big storm approaching but no one had really seemed concerned about it until it hit. They had been asleep on the bed taking a nap when it started. At first it was just the occasional thunder, but soon the yacht was swaying back and forth as the crack of thunder boomed overhead and the whip of a lighting bolt could be seen through the window. Elyza was getting ready to head to her couch from Alicia's room when she was stopped by Alicia's hand covering hers.

"Stay, please." Her eyes were pleading, almost begging Elyza to stay.

"Of course." A boom of thunder shook the yacht and Alicia's hold on Elyza's hand only increased. Elyza climbed into the bed immediately. She laid on her back and had Alicia's head under her neck with both of Alicia's arms tucked in between them.

"Why don't you tell me about before the dead decided to come back?" Elyza suggested.

"Nick's a junkie. He has been since his junior year of high school. I've always been cleaning up his messes." A bolt of lightening flashed and the light showed through the window. One of Alicia's hand sought out Elyza's. "But...um" she shakily continued on. "He was coming down from a very bad high when it all happened. We thought he was just super drugged. I owe him my life though. My boyfriend had caught it and was changing and if I had gone to see him..." Her voice faulted out. Alicia hadn't really had the time to grieve the death of her now deceased boyfriend.

"I'm sorry." Elyza's voice expressing the genuine sorrow she felt for Alicia. Thunder boomed as the boat swayed with the waves. Elyza kissed the top of Alicia's head to try and comfort her.

"Are we.. are we a thing?" Alicia asked timidly.

"If you want to be." Was the only thing she heard in response.

"I need to think about it. I just I don't know if I'm ready yet. After the death of Matt and all that's going on."

"I understand. I can wait." Elyza thought of Finn. Her first love on Earth, who she ended up having to kill to save from being tortured to death. A loud crack of thunder was accompanied by lightning and a big sway of the yacht.

Alicia whimpered quietly and buried her face in Elyza's shirt. Elyza started to sing. Hopefully it would help Alicia focus on something other than the storm that was attempting to flip the yacht.

"Are you insane like me? Been in pain like me? Bought a hundred dollar bottle of champagne like me? Just to pour that motherfucker down the drain like me? Would you use your water bill to dry the stain like me?" Alicia felt the words echo from within Elyza's chest as she started the song.

"Are you high enough without the Mary Jane like me? Do you tear yourself apart to entertain like me? Do the people whisper 'bout you on the train like me? Saying that you shouldn't waste a pretty face like me? And all the people say,"You can't wake up, this is not a dream, You're part of a machine, you are not a human being, With your face all made up, living on a screen, low on self esteem, so you run on gasoline."" Elyza was trying her best to maintain the notes. She only ever sang in the shower or when she was cleaning.

"Oh, oh, oh, oh, I think there's a flaw in my code, Oh, oh, oh, oh, These voices won't leave me alone. Well my heart is gold, and my hands are cold. Are you deranged like me? Are you strange like me? Lighting matches just to swallow up the flame like me? Do you call yourself a fucking hurricane like me? Pointing fingers cause you'll never take the blame like me?" Elyza sang with all the emotion she could muster. She went over the chorus one last time and blankly stared at the ceiling.

They laid there in silence for some time. Time lost its meaning as if all that existed was them. The sound of thunder occasionally flashed in the background but nothing could distract them from each other.

"What about you? Why are you in the United States if you're Australian?" Alicia glanced at the window nervously.

"I had an aunt and a cousin here. My aunt was getting ready to graduate college so, I decided to come over for a month or two and visit. They were the only family I had." Elyza blinked a few times trying to forget when her Aunt had attacked her cousin, eating part of her cousins neck.

"I'm so sorry Elyza." Alicia rubbed a circle on Elyza's ribs with her finger.

"I"m okay Alicia" She sighed and started humming a random melody, feeling Alicia clench against her when the thunder cracked. It started to sound farther away and the yacht felt like it wasn't swinging back and forth so much.

They laid like that for some more time, Elyza humming and Alicia listening. Alicia slowly drifted and when Elyza felt her relax she gently moved her. She moved the thin sheet and the comforter up to under Alicia's jaw. She smiled at her peaceful form and kissed her forehead. She quietly left the room and went to her couch.

She felt the darkness of depression settle within her as she fell asleep.


	10. I'm Not Mad At Her

Elyza woke up to see Alicia sitting with Elyza's feet on her lap while she read a book. Elyza went to readjust and Alicia glanced down from her book and smiled.

"Good morning. Sleep well?" Alicia marked the corner of her page and placed it on the end table.

"I slept well knowing you were safe." Elyza's brow creased slightly.

"Strand announced at breakfast that we're a day away from San Diego." Alicia grinned at her.

"Then what? What will we do in San Diego? Where is there to go?" The worry flashed across her face.

"My Mom asked Strand the same questions. Said he knew of a safe place that was underground. He said we could tag along or go our separate ways." Alicia waved her hands out as she spoke. "Can we worry about it tomorrow? I just want to enjoy my last day on the yacht."

"Yes, of course." Elyza softened her tone and sat up. She put her arms in the air and stretched her back. She then stood up and moved the coffee table flush against the wall. Using the gap between the couch and the floor she pushed her feet in and started to do sit ups. She stopped at fifty to catch her breath. She took quick break and then did fifty more. She moved so that she was laying flat on her stomach parallel to the couch. She did then switched to push ups, following the same pattern of sets and breaks. She alternated the sit ups and push ups two more times and stood up, flexing her back, she pushed the coffee table back.

Alicia had been watching her the whole time. "What?" Elyza asked. "Now isn't the time to get out of shape. Especially with land a day away."

"Yeah." Alicia breathed out, gulping and blushing as she stared at Elyza's figure. "She quickly got off of the couch and headed up to the deck. The yacht had momentarily stopped and when they reached the deck they saw Chris and Nick in the water swimming.

Elyza came and stood beside her. "Last one in's a walker!" She taunted. She already had her pants off and was taking her t-shirt off. Alicia was right behind her as Elyza dived in. Alicia waited until she came up and cannon balled into the ocean. She opened her eyes under water, letting the salt water sting her eyes. She saw blue and then something that looked like a dead body. Only it's eyes were trained on her and it was trudging along the bottom of the sand headed for her feet. She swam up and immediately screamed walkers as she swam back towards the deck.

Elyza's eyebrow went up. She sucked in a big breath and dove under the water. There were three or four of them and they were reaching for the group. One walker seemed to be floating to the top. She swam back up. She swam over to Chris and Nick and grabbed their wrists. She started to drag them toward the deck when Chris's leg was caught by the floating walker. Elyza released them to swim down and kick the floating walker. However, Nick was the one who swam down to kick him. "Damn it all to hell." In a few moments Nick came back up and they all swam to deck. It was only when they were all catching their breath and getting dressed did she hear Alicia's sharp intake of breath.

"Nick...your arm..." Everyone rushed out on deck.

"We heard screams." Travis had his pistol out. "Everyone okay?" Madison eyes grazed over everyone, desperately hoping to see if everyone was safe. As Alicia sidestepped onto the yacht, she saw the blood coming out of Nicks arm.

"At least it won't be drugs that do me in?" He suggested to his mother.

"Oh, Nick." Her eyes teared up as she fell beside him, hugging and holding him. The consequence of this bouncing around in her mind.

"Why didn't you protect him?" She spat at Elyza. "You said you could fight. You said you could survive." She accused.

"It was my choice Mom. She was getting ready to go down to help Chris get to safety and I just...I see how Alicia looks at her. Just shoot me before I turn? That's all I ask." He looked at everyone. David nodded.

"If that's what you want, I'll do it when the time comes." David concluded. He walked back inside to tell his daughter what happened. Alicia locked eyes with Elyza. The silent conversation between them hung in the air. Alicia had asked she let her family grieve in peace and that she would be in soon. Elyza sighed as she went inside.

She headed towards Alicia's room and closed the door. She went in the bathroom and stripped herself of her wet clothes. She put her dry tee shirt on and went back into the bedroom. She opened a few of the doors that were attached to the compartmentalized side of the room. She opened them until she found a pair of shorts. They were slightly too big but they would cover her while her underwear dried. She grabbed her sketch pad off of the table beside Alicia's bed.

She was almost done with her second sketch when Alicia came into the room.

"Hey." Elyza didn't look up from her sketch. She felt Alicia sit down on the bed beside her and sigh. Alicia ran her hand up Elyza's back while she finished up her sketch. She always drew hunched over.

"Hey." She sounded deflated. "Mom said to tell you sorry." Elyza put her pen in the pages of her sketch book and pushed it to the edge of the bed.

"I'm not mad at her." She sat up and looked at Alicia. Their eyes locked and the tension built in the room. Elyza lightly brushed her fingers across Alicia's cheek. Alicia slowly leaned forward and captured Elyza's lips in a searing kiss. Elyza felt the tears building up and couldn't hold it in. She had truly missed her soulmate.


	11. I Just Don't Know

They had finally made it to San Diego. It took them two trips to get everyone to the beach but it was worth it. Elyza stared at the city in front of her. The scattered cars along the roads and the mess outside. This was a big city there was going to be a lot of the dead. She would need to find a knife but for now everyone was concerned about following Strand to this 'safe house' he had told the group about. It was about a day's walk from San Diego to the house but as they walked along the city, changing routes whenever the dead got too close. Elyza saw signs left by a group.

"Guys." Elyza tried to stop the group as she pointed to some spray paint on the floor. It read 'Safe Haven. Food and Water. No Dead.' and had an arrow pointing to the northeast. "If his safe house doesn't work out we could always find that group." She suggested. Almost everyone seemed to nod. Alicia seemed to purposefully look away and focus on something far away. Elyza frowned but didn't say anything. She would question her later.

They walked until they were just on the outskirts of town. Strand had led them to a gas station. As they approached the ground was littered with dead bodies; some burned into a crisp and others shot in the head. Alicia had been walking with her mom the whole time and had momentarily closed her eyes when they approached the gas station. Elyza had come to the conclusion that she was being avoided but chose not to let it outwardly affect her. Strand walked behind the building and opened the storage that went into ground.

"I'll go with you Strand." Elyza nodded at him and shuffled over toward the door. Alicia looked at Elyza for the first solid time that day. As Elyza walked past her she held out her knife for Elyza to take. Elyza took it as she walked, not looking at Alicia. So much for not letting my anger show, Elyza thought. She then suppressed the urge to take the knife and put it in Alicia's arm.

"Here." Travis held out a flashlight for Strand to take. He took it as he started his descent into the dark room, which was seated in the cool ground just a few feet below everyone. They walked down a short flight of stairs that opened into a bigger room. There were more bodies. Elyza covered her nose, the stench becoming unbearable. Strand used the flashlight to see around the room, since there was no other way down that they could see. She did notice that all the dead bodies were splayed across the room as though they had been shot from the corner farthest from the stairs. Strand went over to the workbench to the right of the stairs and reached under it. He hit a button and it opened a door that was in the corner farthest from the stairs.

Elyza flexed her grip on the knife and headed down the second staircase after Strand. They followed a tunnel for some time and it opened up into a room.

Elyza put her fingers to her lips and shushed him, sensing that Strand was going to say something. She heard a growl coming from another room. Strand pointed the flashlight at the door that would lead them to the next room. They walked into what looked like a common area. There were a few small tables littered across the floor. Some overturned chairs here and there. Books scattered the floor. The light coming from Strand landed on the back of a man standing.

Strand kept the light on the man as Elyza quietly stepped over to him. He heard her as she was almost to him and turned around. One eye was hanging down on his cheek and it looked like some of the flesh on his chest and arms had been burned off. Elyza made a face at the gore and then quickly shoved the knife she had into the eye socket of the hanging eye. The twice dead man fell to the ground in a thump. Elyza took the knife out of his head and headed toward the next door.

Strand moved the light with Elyza. The next room looked like the kitchen area. Empty cans and trash littered the floor. Seeing no dead she moved on. A sleeping room was next. She frowned at the child toys that were present. She hoped she wouldn't have to kill a child's corpse. There were several sleeping bags shoved in a corner of the room. There were no dead and so as before, Elyza moved on. She came to last room. It was a living area that had been turned into a giant sleeping area. A few mattresses lined the wall but no sleeping bags were in the room. As the light swept across the room Elyza seemed to hold in her breath. The room had at least five dead in it. Three women, a man, and a child. Her eyes drifted to the child and then to Strand. The dead hadn't seen them yet.

"Strand run to the top!" She turned as the dead turned. Luckily for her Strand reacted just as quick as she did as they headed back to the surface.

"Ready the weapons!" Elyza screamed ahead of her. They were close enough to the top that she hoped someone would've heard her. As they ran up to the top they ran out into a semi circle of weapons. Elyza turned back around to face the whole in the ground. Strand came up after she did and not long after the dead had surfaced too. A few gunshots were fired and the remaining dead were stabbed in the head.

"Well, did either of you find any supplies?" Travis asked. Strand shook his head. He looked down at the family they had just taken care of.

"It looks like at least four families lived down there but only one family remained." Elyza piped up. She looked at the sky to see the position of the sun. It was about 1 PM. "We need to start thinking about a camp." She looked around the group.

"We might as well stay here tonight." Alicia quietly suggested. The group seemed to love the suggestion. Everyone just wanted to relax after their long walk to the gas station that turned out to be a dud.

"This was supposed to be a meeting place." Strand looked at the dead family. "We were going to meet here and then head to a military facility to help in finding a cure if this happened." His eyes looked sad for a moment with the failure of this plan swirling around in his head.

Elyza glanced around the empty back lot of the gas station. She looked to the right and saw only blacktop and a dumpster and then to the left and saw a horde of the dead.

"Guys get inside!" She screamed at the group. Everyone looked to where the groaning noises were coming from and ran down the stairs, closing the door to the surface behind them.

They only had a few flashlights and so every other person got one. Elyza went over to the workbench and sat beside it. They could hear the dead scratching and moaning at the door. Most of the group went down into the remaining rooms to look around and try to get settled for the night.

"Elyza?" Alicia called out timidly. She didn't expect for Elyza to talk to her today after how she had treated her.

"Yes?" She sang in reply. Alicia turned on the flashlight she had been given and moved it towards Elyza. There was a pause before Alicia's reply.

"May I sit with you?" Alicia sounded afraid of what Elyza's reply might be.

"Of course." Elyza patted the ground beside her. Alicia walked over to where Elyza was sitting and sat down.

"I'm sorry for how I acted today. I just... don't know how to feel about all of this yet." She turned the flashlight off and pulled her knees to her face, resting her chin on the tops of them.

"I'm not mad at you about it. I thought about it and I might've moved too fast for you so, for that I'm sorry." Elyza felt the pang in her heart and the water in her eyes begin. She hummed a few melodies until she found the one she wanted.

"I make all that I believe. In dreams. So real.  
Babe, I have to take the call. Fate, don't fail me now  
I make all that I believe. I set myself free  
So take all the time you need. And let yourself be."

She sang loud enough for Alicia to hear. She slumped into the wall behind her, using the sounds of the walkers to carry her to sleep.


	12. Don't Forget That

Elyza woke with a start. She subconsciously felt that she had been asleep for far too long and had woke herself up. She noticed the sound of the walkers had stopped and everyone had come into a circle upstairs.

"We should leave Elyza here!" She heard a frantic whisper. By the sound of the whisper she assumed it was Chris.

"You leave her, you leave me." Alicia whispered back. Her tone was unwavering and final.

"You don't mean that." A feminine voice replied. "Her mother. Maybe she'll cave in." Elyza softly tapped her leg in thought.

"Watch me." Alicia's voice was getting louder. She was getting upset. "I may not quite understand yet but she feels so familiar to me. Like an old friend." She gestured with her arms and then crossed them. "I'm willing to risk everything on her. So, just try me." Alicia narrowed her eyes at them all willing them to try and protest so she could use it as an excuse to get rid of her pent up frustration.

Elyza watched with reserved awe. Her heda, her commander. She might go by a different name but she still demanded the same type of respect as she had when she had twelve clans under her command.

Heda sat on her throne in Polis. She watched all of the clan representatives and hardened her eyes more. She refused to glance at Clarke, her resolve would slip.

"I called forth this meeting today to discuss how to rid the mountain of the rest of their weapons. Wanheda might have killed the mountain men but the mountain itself is still a threat to our people. If Azgeda got hold of it..." She let the minds in the room wander and imagine for themselves.

"We could talk to the Skaikru about disabling the missiles. We could even change the codes for them. I'm sure Monty could do it." Wanheda suggested, making a point of looking at each of the other representatives.

"Would they be willing?" The commanders eyebrow went up as the question left her lips.

"I could persuade them. Perhaps if Trikru would make more of an effort of showing them how to properly hunt." There was a fire in her eyes. Her people had started to run out of food and winter was quickly approaching. Unless that was coalition's plan.

Indra's head snapped toward the Skai Prisa. "Do not threaten us. The other clans may be scared but I am not afraid of death nor its commander." She narrowed her eyes at Clarke.

"You agreed to help and yet my people are dwindling away into nothing. So, why don't you watch your tone Indra and deliver the teachings you promised." Clarke dead stared at Indra refusing to let any emotion show on her face. They sat diagonal with Indra closest to the commander.

"Enough!" Heda's voice boomed as she leaned forward in her throne. "The Trikru will deliver upon their promise and Klark kom Skaikru will talk to her people about disarming the mountain." Heda looked across the table. Her look said she was final.

Clarke smiled as the memory came to mind. That look was the same look she was giving her family now.

"You would leave us behind?" Alicia's mom whispered sadly. "We are your family."

"Elyza is also my family. I found her with death trying to bite at her throat. The least I can do is make sure that I'm there for her. I can't let her die alone." Alicia sounded calmer. Like she had thought her reply out days before this conversation had to occur.

Elyza slowly sat up, rubbing one eye. Everyone turned toward the noise. Alicia was by her side quickly. She extended an arm and pleaded with her eyes that Elyza just go downstairs for a moment. She nodded and headed downstairs, staying at the top to listen.

"I don't know what Elyza has done with Alicia, but this new girl is making rash decisions and I don't know if I can trust you anymore." Chris looked at her accusingly and quickly headed down the stairs. Elyza rushed ahead of him and shifted into the corner, making it look like that's where she had gone to begin with.

"Chris." She called him over.

"What!?" He snapped as he rushed at her.

"You are lucky that Alicia is not Heda here. She would have your tongue for disrespecting her and your hand so that you would have to rely on her for your food." Her eyes narrowed."But here she is Alicia and if I hear you talk to her like that again, I am the one who will take your tongue. I am the one who will take your hand. Don't forget that." She shoved past him to head into the kitchen, the authority and the threat trailing behind her as Chris tried to find words.

She slumped against the floor behind the kitchen counter. She ran her hand through her hair and sighed a shaky breath. "Lexa.." She felt the longing before the tears. Here in this life she was different. She was more naive and wasn't as war-hardened as her Heda had been. She sobbed as she grieved. The Lexa she knew slipping away as she remembered bits about Alicia.

Her curiosity at their past life. Her will to survive and outlast. Her beauty in the light. The way her smile lit up the room and her laugh lifted Elyza's spirit. In this life it was Elyza's job to teach Alicia to hunt. To teach Alicia to survive among the ruins and the dead. Her demeanor shifted. This wasn't the time to grieve the live they had in a past life. This was the time to explore this life. She felt many emotions all at once. She stood up quickly and rushed upstairs. She passed by Alicia's family; they had moved downstairs as she had gone into the kitchen. She climbed the stairs going two at a time.

Alicia was sitting where Elyza had been her head resting on her knees. She quickly looked at Elyza who was steadily approaching. Elyza knelt down. She found Alicia's eyes in the dark.

Heda swept into the room before Clarke. It was only moments before the commander knelt on the ground before her. Clarke was taken aback. The commander was showing her to be dominant of the pair in this moment. Lexa looked up and locked eyes with Clarke. The candles flickered against her showing the emotion in her eyes.

"I swear fealty to you, Clarke kom Skaikru. I vow to treat your needs as my own and your people as my people." Lexa searched Clarke's expression for a sign of something and just as she was about to stand on her own accord and shamefully walk out the door, Clarke extended an arm and helped her up. The mutual respect and growing love and trust for Lexa grew the more Clarke watched her and studied her.

"I swear fealty to you Alicia. I vow to treat your needs as my own and your people as my people." Elyza watched for any signs of rejection. She was thoroughly surprised when she felt arms around her.

"I remember when I said that to you." Alicia whispered against Elyza's ear. "Thank you." She kissed Elyza's cheek as she settled back where she had been.


	13. She Really is My Soulmate

Alicia was being shaken awake. She opened her expecting to see Elyza but instead saw Chris's annoyed expression.

"How can you even sleep here? Knowing that people died here?" He snapped at her. "Let's go. Travis is sending us to scavenge while they all talk about what happens next." He cut off any reply she had on her tongue as he headed out of the doors leading up to the surface.

Alicia frowned and headed towards the group of people. Travis stopped her a few feet before the huddle of people.

"We need food. I'm sending Chris and yourself because I think he needs to get out. Just go to a few houses from down the street. Be safe Alicia." He gave her a quick hug and handed her a pistol and a backpack.

"Okay Travis. I'll make it quick." She nodded determinedly. She headed in Chris's direction, putting the gun in between her shorts and her back. She put the backpack on.

When she got to the surface, the light from the sun blinded her. She blinked a few times as her eyes watered. Chris started toward the front of the building and went to the right of the Sunaco towards the neighborhood that branched off of the street the Sunaco was facing. He went to go into the first house. It had a bit of a path the owners had put into the garden of the front yard. He briskly walked up it and as he went to put his hand on the doorknob he was punched in the side.

"I was too far behind you Chris." She snapped at him. "You're going to get yourself killed if you just barge in like that and you know who would get blamed? Me!" She pulled her knife out. "Get your weapon out. Open the door slowly. It's a one story so, I doubt there could be that much food left." She rolled her eyes as Chris huffed.

"First your girlfriend...or whatever..threatens me and then all you do is boss me around! I'm going to the houses across the street. By myself. Let's meet back at the gas station in 3 hours." He left without waiting for a reply.

"She threatened him?" Alicia whispered to herself. She sighed and focused on her task at hand. She gently pushed open the door and walked inside. To her right was a door and to the left was an open room. It had couches and a TV. Pictures of the family who once resided here were on the walls. She crouched down as she went to find the kitchen. She went through the living room and then through another door and she was in the kitchen. She quickly searched the cupboards and found only a few cans of food. She sighed as she put them in her bag. She left the house the same way she came in, closing the front door behind her. She headed toward the next house.

She only found 1 can of food in that house. She also found 1 walker, who she managed to trap in a bedroom.

She went across the street to check on Chris. Only about 30 minutes had passed but she hadn't seen him move onto the next house and was getting worried.

"Chris?" She asked. She heard some grunts from the other side of the house. She pulled her knife out and quickly went to where the noises were. She saw two walkers hitting against a door. She crouched down and swiftly stabbed the first one in the head. It fell, her knife protruding from its head. She pulled it out in one big motion and then stabbed the next walker, which had turned and was facing her.

She opened the door that were banging on and found Chris hiding inside of a bathtub. She sighed.

"Are you okay? Did they bite you?" She rushed toward him in the bathroom.

"I'm fine, I'm fine." He responded as he sat up in the tub. Alicia sat down in front of the tub.

"We need to talk Chris. You can't just keep snapping at everyone when you don't get your way." Her tone had softened as she a few new cuts on his face. "What did Elyza do?"

"She said you were a heda? Or something? She said if I disrespected you again that she'd cut my tongue out and my hand off." He sounded like he was getting worked up.

"She wouldn't." Alicia told him.

"How do you know?" He responded.

"Because she would do anything for me if I asked her of it." She explained.

"Okay but why? You've only known each other for maybe a week." He pointed out. He put his elbows on the edge of the tub and put his head in his hands. Alicia grasped at how to answer the question. On one hand she did believe Elyza in how they had met in a past life. She felt so familiar. On the other hand, how did she know she wasn't just being manipulated and wouldn't just be killed by Elyza later? She shook her head at the last thought. She had seen Elyza looking at her when she thought Alicia hadn't been paying attention. All she had seen was acceptance and love.  
"I...I don't know yet Chris. She just seems like an old friend. Someone I can trust." Alicia nodded as she played with her hair. "Because I'm starting to believe she really is my soulmate." she thought to herself.

"But I wasn't kidding Chris. You need to stop being so reckless. Think with your head, not so much your heart. It would save us all from also wanting to cut out your tongue and cut off your hand." She smiled at him.

"How much food did you find?" Chris asked her.

"Enough for tonight. You?" She directed the question back at him.

"Maybe enough for half of tomorrow." He shrugged.

"We should head back Chris. Travis didn't want us gone too long." She started to get up.

"Okay." Chris trailed behind her as they headed back to the group.


	14. Hey

Alicia and Chris finally reached the gas station. She was greeted by Elyza sitting outside humming a song. She was leaning against the wall beside the door to the downstairs. It was quite evident that she had moved the walker bodies. Which was good because they were starting to stink.

"Hey." Elyza said with a nod, stopping her song.

"Hey." Alicia said quietly. She felt as though she owed the blonde an apology but shook the feeling away. "Here Chris." She turned to her right and handed him the backpack. He took it from her and glared at Elyza before heading downstairs to give their find to Travis.

"He said that you threatened him?" Alicia accused.

"You don't waste anytime do you?" Elyza slightly teased. "Yes, I did. His behavior could get you killed and I can't risk that again Alicia. I had to deal with so much the last time you left and.." Elyza's voice broke. Alicia softened her gaze at the heartfelt confession.

"I'm sure I didn't try to die or anything." She tried to console Elyza. "I'm certainly not trying to die now. I told him he needed to calm down and stop being so reckless or he'd get himself and/or others killed. I hope it got through to him." She sighed. "What did they decide on?" She had been stressed about this meeting all day and was slightly insulted they didn't have her sit in on it.

"It was stupid." Elyza slid down the wall and was now sitting on the ground. "They've decided to stay here until the resources dry up and then try to follow the arrows to the other survivor camp that's nearby. I tried to tell them how foolish they were being by waiting here. That survivor camp could be overrun by the time we get there." The anger was starting to bubble. "Your mother still blames me for Nick's death. She practically cornered me to warn me about getting you killed and what she'd do to me. Her imagination is a little bland though." She rolled her eyes as she played with the hem of her blue tanktop. "What did you guys find?" Elyza turn slightly so she could refocus on Alicia.

"A few cans of food. It should only last until tomorrow morning though." She frowned. Their group was pretty large to scavenge for.

"I want to find a plot of land. I want to build a bigggggggg" She motioned with her arms across the city. "Fence to keep the walkers out. I want to farm and I want to make a safe place for us. For all of us." Her mind drifted to Chris. Even if he was being a little crazy, he still deserved to be safe too.

"One day." Alicia touched her arm lightly. She had moved to sit beside Elyza when she had gone to talk about the meeting. "I've been going back and forth. I can't decide whether or not to trust you about this commander thing." Her brow creased in thought.

"What's not to trust? I wouldn't lie to you. I still can't hear a gunshot and not think you haven't been shot in the chest. I can't go to sleep unless I know you're okay. I know we've only known each other for a short time but just think about it. You were there when I tripped when those walkers were going to bite me. You saved me. You fought your group to keep me around. Why would you do all that if you didn't think I seemed familiar? You're overthinking it Alicia. Here. I'll give you a melody to hum okay?" Elyza started a light and bouncy melody for her. Alicia hummed along and then Elyza added some chords to it, making her rhythm bounce off of the one she had designed for Alicia.

After 45 seconds Elyza put her hand on top of Alicias. Alicia continued to hum and looked into Eliza's eyes. She saw the pain and grief that had taken up residence but also saw an undying love. A love that could move mountains. A love that could move her. Alicia moved her right hand and softly touched Elyza's hair. Elyza continued her melody so that the harmony between the two of them could still be heard. Elyza grabbed Alicia's hand from the outside and touched her cheek with it. She kissed Alicia's palm and then each knuckle. Alicia never took her eyes off of Elyza, a smile tugging at her lips.

Matt had never been this sensitive with her. He always was too harsh and tried to push what he wanted too soon. Elyza was different. Alicia could feel the patience in her touch and see the devotion in her eyes. No one had ever looked at her like that before. She leaned forward and tentatively captured Elyza's lips with her own. She hoped to convey what she couldn't say in words. I do love you. Her kiss sent. Please forgive me for leaving you. Alicia leaned back to look into Elyza eyes. The look in Alicia's eyes starting to mirror the expression in Elyza's. Elyza's eyes flickered from Alicia's lips to her eyes and back again.

Elyza moved her left hand to be under Alicias neck. She tilted her head to the desired position as she stole a kiss from Alicia. Alicia kissed back and naturally set her hands against Elyza's stomach. The touch sending a spark through Elyza. Their breathing quickly became labored and they had to pull apart. They rested foreheads together and Alicia started to laugh. Her laughter quickly turned into a cry and then a sob. Elyza pulled her forward into an embrace.

"I'm sorry." She got out shakily. "I'm sorry for doubting you Elyza. I'm sorry for leaving when you were still Clarke." She buried her head into Elyza's shoulder and tried to block out the glare from the sun.

"Shhhh." Elyza cooed. "I'm not mad at you. It wasn't your fault that you left. Don't apologize to me about that, okay?" She sat Alicia back and had her look into her eyes again. "Okay?" She repeated.

"Okay." Alicia nodded as she settled back into the hug.


	15. BIG Update

Hey look at that...now you're caught up to AO3. Should've just done this a while ago tbh. Hope you enjoy and thanks for reading!

* * *

Elyza was walking outside around the gas station. The moon was up high in the sky casting shadows on all that surrounded her. She looked over as she heard the doors that went down into their temporary shelter swing open. Alicia peeked her head up.

"I couldn't find you. I was worried." Elyza could hear the concern in her voice.

"Babe, I'm fine. I felt like I was being trapped down there." She really needed to go into the town and try and find some battery operated lights to stick up in their home. The dark was starting to bother her. Alicia felt her heart flutter as she studied Elyza's body for any injury or sign that something was wrong.

"Really Alicia. I'm okay." Her tone softened. Alicia came out of the gas station and closed the door behind her. Alicia went to walk with her and they were soon out front of the gas station.

"You still have that knife with you?" Elyza's eyes gleamed as she asked.

"Yeah. Why?" She hoped Elyza wouldn't want to spar with her or anything. She was still trying to shake the sleep away from her mind.

"Let's go explore." Elyza grabbed Alicia's hand, intertwining their fingers. Alicia smiled at the contact.

"Won't the others worry if they wake up and find us not there?" Alicia didn't want the group waking up thinking they had fled or died.

"We'll be back before sunrise. I promise." Elyza started down the street that Alicia had started to scavenege with Nick. They followed the road until it dead ended into another street. Elyza looked right. There were a few cars in the street and an overturned bike in one yard. She looked to the left and saw a motorcycle in the garage of one of the last houses. Her eyes grew wide and she couldn't contain her excitement as she bounced over to it.

It was a newer model of a Harley Davidson Softail. She let go of Alicia's hand when they approached and practically threw herself on the bike.

"Oh man." Elyza breathed out. The bike was silver and even had a passenger seat with a back to it. She looked at the bags on the sides. She got as close as she could to see if there was any damage to the bike. "I had a bike at home in Australia but it was more of a rocket. I'd hit the highway and just...go! It's such a freeing feeling Alicia." She gently ran her fingertips over the seat of the motorcycle before snapping her head up towards the house they were in front of.

She went over to the garage and tried to lift it up. It was no use, without electricity it wasn't going to budge. "I'm checking the backyard." Elyza told Alicia. Elyza ran to the back and was disappointed to not find a shed. She climbed on the wooden fence of the backyard and tried looking around at the other houses to find a shed or something to hide the bike in. She looked to her left and didn't see anything. She looked to her right and didn't see anything either.

"Fucking hell." She whispered to herself. She wanted to hide this bike. It resembled something normal of her life in Australia and she needed it to survive this new world. To survive the dead. She walked back out to the front of the house.

"See anything?" Alicia touched Elyza's arm and gazed into her eyes.

"No." She sounded horribly disappointed and bitter.

"Let's go try across the street." Alicia half suggested as she tugged the blonde with her. Elyza's eyes gleamed with hope. She hadn't even thought to look at the houses across the street. Maybe she really did need to sleep. They quickly made into the backyard of the house across from the one with the motorcycle. Elyza climbed and sat on top of the wooden fence. She looked to her right and saw nothing. She looked to her left and saw a shed two houses down.

"Two houses to the left." Elyza told Alicia. Elyza climbed down and raced out of the backyard, Alicia quickly behind her. They got to the shed and Elyza frowned. Locked.

"Have a bobbypin?" Elyza asked Alicia. Alicia touched her forehead and followed her bangs back to the bobbypin that held them in place. Her bangs fell, being the only hair down around her head.

Elyza took it from Alicia and bent it. She put an end of it into the lock and worked the lock. She felt the last part of the lock give way and clicked it down. She took the lock off setting it on the ground beside the door. She opened the shed to see a lawnmower and a weedwhacker. She could fit the bike in this shed. It would be a tight fit but it would work.

"Let's go get the bike." Elyza's grin reached her eyes. Alicia loved how the smile transformed Elyza's face. She smiled knowing no one else in the group would ever see that smile dance across Elyza's features. They went back over to the bike.

"You steer and I'll push." Elyza directed. She could start the bike but she had a working theory that sound attracted the dead and didn't want to risk it. After a lot of grunts and determination they managed to get the bike to the shed. Elyza opened the doors to shed and swung the doors open as wide as they could get. She rearranged the lawnmower and the weedwhacker so the space could also accommodate the bike. Once they got the bike inside Elyza closed the doors and relocked the garage. Might as well make it harder for people to get inside.

They went back out into the street and Elyza looked at the moon. They had about 3 hours before the sunrise. Elyza continues down the side of the street of the bike and randomly headed into a house. She stopped Alicia before they entered and pulled her knife out.

"I have a theory so bare with me, okay? Get your knife out and be ready to lay the dead to rest." Alicia nodded. They entered the house and Elyza tok one the picture frames off of the wall and threw it against the floor, making a giant crashing noise throughout the house. Two dead appeared from the hallway in front of them. Elyza quickly stabbed the one on the left as Alicia darted from her right and took down the other one. Elyza took her knife out of the corpse below her and hit the wall with the handle of her knife. She waited a few minutes and then did it again.

"It's safe now." She told Alicia as she went into the house. Alicia closed the front door as she went to explore the house. She didn't want any surprise attacks from the dead.

Elyza headed into what looked like the living room. It had a piano in the corner and two acoustic guitars hanging on the wall. She smiled. Today was a good day. She took the guitar that said washburn on the top of the headstock. She went over to the closest couch and sat down. She slid the guitar in between her legs and strummed the E string. She cringed when she lightly strummed over all of the strings. They were horribly out of tune. She quickly tuned it and used the G chord to make sure it was tuned. She lightly played a few songs she knew from heart before her eyes settled on a basket over by the piano. She got up, setting the guitar gently on the couch. She went through the basket. It was mostly classical music but the last two books were coldplay and an assortment of 80s rock. She grabbed the last two and one of the classical books. She needed a strap for the guitar.

She set the books over by the guitar and went to rummage through the closets by the front door. In the second closet she found what she needed. A slim guitar travel bag. She gently put the guitar into the case and unzipped the pocket in front putting the books in it. She laid the guitar by the front door and went into the kitchen. She opened the cupboards and found some plates and cups. She frowned. Plates and cups were nice to have but it angered her. She would never have a nice quiet house. All she would need would have to be on her back now. She took out the first plate and slammed it onto the tile of the kitchen.

"That's for bringing the dead back to life." She said through gritted teeth. She grabbed the next plate and slammed it down on the tile watching it break. "That's for my Aunt and my Cousin Gina. They'll never rest in peace because of how they died." She grabbed the next plate and threw it against the wall. It busted on impact and shattered to the floor. "That's for Nick. He wouldn't have wanted to die. He could've had a long life." She grabbed a cup and threw it out the closest window. "Thats for my family and friends in Australia." She went to reach for the next cup and felt a hand on her back.

Alicia turned her to face her. She kissed her cheek and then pulled her in for a hug. She held Elyza until her anger subsided and she was no longer shaking.

"Miss home?" Alicia whispered against her ear. Elyza nodded against her being only a few inches shorter than Alicia. "Let me be your new home." Alicia suggested.

"I can do that." Elyza said back to her. She was feeling apathetic and like she was out in space but the feeling of Alicia's lips on her own brought her crashing back to Earth, crashing back to the feelings she had been trying to ignore since all this started. Elyza glanced out the window she had broken behind Alicia and sighed.

"We need to go. The sun's starting to come up." Alicia did a 180 and looked out the window too. She felt arms go around her waist and smiled at the kiss on her neck. She turned around in Elyzas arms and kissed her nose.

"Let's go back. Sleep with me when we get back. Maybe that will ease your mind." Alicia quickly undid the hold Elyza hand on her waist and was walking through the front door. Elyza grabbed her new guitar and slid the case on, the strap going diagonally across her chest as they headed back to the group.

Elyza woke to the sound of gunshots. She sat up, her hand on her knife. Alicia rolled over and looked up at her.

"What was it?" Alicia asked as she went to touch Elyza's arm, her face started to morph into a walker. Her dead eyes and decaying flesh coming to light as she tried to bite and eat Elyza. Elyza grabbed her knife and hesitated. She didn't want to kill the one person she loved, but it was either kill or be killed. She stabbed Alicia in the head and started to sob. She was shaking from crying so hard at how she had to kill Alicia. She had already lost her once. The Gods were cruel for making her not only watch her death, but be the one to cause it this time. She pulled out the gun from the back of her pants and aimed it at her head. She sobbed as she could feel the connection she had with her soulmate slip away into nothing. A void had started in her chest and at least if she were dead she could move onto a new life. A life that hopefully, didn't involve death. She pulled the trigger and felt the temporary pain and then felt nothing. She opened her eyes. Alicia was sitting up beside her, she was shaking her in an attempt to wake her.

There was a pause, like Elyza didn't believe that Alicia was still alive, that she hadn't of had to kill her. That she didn't have Alicia's blood on her hands. She was freezing, the sweat had soaked through her clothes and she found herself shivering. Alicia frowned at the sight of seeing Elyza so upset. Elyza ran her fingers through her hair and let out a shaky breath. She nervously looked at Alicia and felt the tears building up. All she saw was the decaying face. All she felt was the bullet as it ripped through her head and gave her a relief she had never known in Lexa's world.

A sob escaped from her lips as she put her hands on her face and slumped forward. Alicia scooted towards her and gently touched her shoulder. The simple gesture reminding her that she was alive. That she was there for Elyza.

Elyza turned and looked at her, the tears gliding down her face as if they were secret whispers of the pain in her heart. Alicia felt her own heartbreak and opened her arms.

"Come here." Alicia whispered. Elyza shuffled over and fell in between Alicia's arms. Alicia rubbed her back and hummed in her ear. After a few moments had passed Elyza sat up off of Alicia and gingerly touched her cheek.

"I killed you." Elyza told her. "You turned and I had to kill you and I couldn't bare your death so I killed myself too." She blinked slowly, feeling the sleep crawling its way into her skin again.

Alicia's brow creased with worry. She took Elyzas hand and put it over her heart. "I am alive." She moved Elyzas hand under her shirt so that Elyza can feel her skin. She moves Elyzas hand across her abdomen and then settles it on her back. Alicia puts her own hand on Elyzas free hand. Alicia's free hand put against Elyzas side, squeezing to remind her that she isn't alone.

Alicia leaned forward and planted a soft and quick kiss against Elyzas lips. Elyza moved her hand from Alicias back, it was now in Alicias hair. Elyza pulled her forward and crashed their lips together, saying in the kiss what she couldn't articulate with her mouth. Elyza bit at Alicias bottom lip and pressed their bodies together as close as she could. Alicia moaned against Elyza and Elyza felt her center burn with desire. She moved her hand out from under Alicias and ran it up Alicias stomach until it rested above her breast. Alicia stumbled out of the toxicity that was Elyza and moved Elyzas hand.

"Not yet." She croaked out. Her family was just mere meters away. "Soon." She promised. She quickly kissed Elyza and laid down on their blankets again. Alicia patted beside her and Elyza laid down beside her. Alicia was being the big spoon and she leaned over Elyza. She placed a sloppy kiss on her cheek and then on her neck. She finally settled behind Elyza and snuggled against Elyza's back. A hum escaped from her lips.

"What was I like as Lexa?" She kissed Elyza's back.

"You commanded respect. What you said was final. You never let your emotions really get to you...at least until you met me. You're more carefree here. You don't have to worry about mountain men or whether or not the skaikru is going to behave. But even if you are you different here, I will always love you." Elyza turned so she was facing Alicia, Alicia's arm loosening her grip from around Elyza. Alicia blushed and was glad the room was so dark.

"I do that here too. With my mom and with Travis. But, I'm the one who killed Nick. My mom couldn't do it. So I did. I took a gun and I shot him." Her voice waivered.

"It's okay. I'm here." Elyza wiped away the stray tear that managed to fall from Alicia's eyes. "I would've shot him for you." She offered.

"No. Just because I might've had burdens in the other life doesn't mean I need you to take all of them here. I will have to kill people. I will have to betray my family. Just be here, Elyza. Don't treat me like I'm a fragile doll." She was getting more and more upset as she talked and when she finished she realized her breath was becoming labored.

"I...I didn't even realize...I'm sorry Alicia. Whatever happens...Whatever we have to do to survive. We'll do it together." She kissed Alicias forehead.

"It's okay. I understand your thought process. You don't want me to have to be as burdened and I get it. But I would rather deal with our battles together. We have to make it a team effort or it won't work." Alicia whispered against her. "Let's take this life and try not to make it as heavy as the last. I love you." Alicia confessed. It was the first time she had uttered the words to anyone in a romantic way since Matt.

"I love you." Elyza quickly whispered back, her voice heavy with emotion. She kissed Alicia and rolled her over so that Alicia's back was against the floor. Elyza pinned Alicias hands against the floor and straddled her. She kissed her long and hard and bit her bottom lip as she pulled away. She locked eyes with Alicia and sighed. Not tonight, she knew. Her resolve was thinning out but she respect Alicias wishes. She kissed Alicia's cheek and then nose. She kissed beside her mouth as she went to get off and Alicia's mouth followed hers and captured it in a searing kiss. Elyza's moan was gutteral against Alicia and Alicia found herself smiling at the sound.

"We need to go back to sleep. Travis wanted us to scavenge again tomorrow." Elyza reminded her. Alicia frowned, enjoying the attention she was recieving.

"Hmmmmm. Okay but you have to be big spoon. You got me all worked up." Alicia told her. No waiver in her tone.

Elyza smiled down at her she moved so that she were the big spoon against Alicia's back. "Fine."

Elyza paced impatiently before the group. She had stayed calm the last time they had a meeting but this time she found herself wondering how quick it would take her to snap everyone's necks.

"No!" She shouted. "You had agreed to go to the other survivors camp! We're almost out of food, Travis. How do you expect us to survive in the ground when we don't even have any food?!" She was getting louder, her emotions keeping her from being able to control the volume of her voice. Alicia stepped forward, grabbing Elyza's arm as she paced in front of her her.

"Elyza. We will be going to the survivor camp. Don't worry." Alicia was trying her best to calm down the angry Australian woman but was finding it difficult with everyone staring at them.

"I just don't think it's a safe thing to do, what if they attack us instead of help us?" He proposed.

"Then you run while I deal with it!" Elyza emphasized the 'I' in her statement. Elyza decided she had had enough. "You deal with them." She growled at Alicia, obviously not ignorant to the fact that they would probably listen to her more than they would Elyza. Elyza stomped out the room, knocking over a pile of empty cans as she went, a scream leaving her lips as the empty cans reminded her they had no food left.

"Look, you guys did promise. Elyza and I will be leaving tomorrow at first light. You're more than welcome to come. Or not." She shrugged. " I hope you will because we should stick together. I still remember how to get to Aunt Vivs house in case we get horribly separated so, if you don't go and things turn bad, that's where we're going to go." She looked at the faces around the room and waited for an argument. She finally heard a groan and turned toward Chris.

"She was right, we have no food. Dad, we might as well go. At least to see if there really is a safe place. We could start over." He suggested. He was trying to be better for Alicia. For all of the recent times he hadn't thought about the others. She grinned at Chris and nodded in encouragement.

"Maybe they're right. Maybe we should just take this chance." Madison looked between the 'leaders' of the group. After a few long moments they finally started to nod.

"Fine. We'll leave first thing tomorrow." Travis stated. Alicia beamed, she couldn't wait to run upstairs and tell Elyza. She bounced up the stairs and found her brooding Australian over in the corner playing around on her guitar.

"We all leave at first light tomorrow." She smiled at Elyza and kissed her on the top of her head.

"Good. Glad you convinced them to come to their senses." Elyza huffed.

"Chris actually helped me win them over." Alicia felt the need to tell Elyza. The air between the two had been so thick this last week that it had made nearly everyone uncomfortable.  
"Strange." Elyza cocked her head to the side, a slight pout forming. "If things don't work at this new place or if we find it overrun, we should come back here and take the motorcycle." She suggested.

"That sounds like a wonderful plan to me. Better than anything I could think of." She strummed the E string of Elyza's guitar. She listened to the note bounce off of the walls.

They had been walking for a while, following the arrows through neighborhoods and commercial areas. They were resting for their meal break when Elyza glanced over. She saw the walker and she saw it shuffle over towards Chris.

"Chris!" She was running to him. She pushed him out of the way and kicked the kneecap of the walker, sending him to the ground. The walker looked up at her and groaned angrily. She took her knife out from her boot and quickly stabbed him in the head. She stook her knife out and cleaned it on her shirt, putting it back into her boot.

"Pay attention!" She snapped at him. She was still upset about the day before and had been snapping at everyone all morning.

She stalked back over to where she had been, her guitar case leaning against the side of a car. It wasn't long before they headed toward the camp and soon enough they found themselves approaching a giant gate.

"What do you want?" A voice shouted from the other side of the gate.

"To join your people!" Elyza shouted back. Slowly the gates were opened and a skinny, brunette woman walked out to them.

"I'm Paige." The woman stuck out her hand in front of Elyza. Elyza took it in a firm grip and shook it.

/

"Mom!" Clarke called out. They had just floated her father. She had just watched her father be sent out to die. She watched in horror as the guards approached her after. One held handcuffs and the other held a shock stick. She held her hand out to her mother. Her mother was on the council. Her mother could make them see reason. Her mother could save her.

"I'm sorry Clarke." Abby said genuinely. She hadn't wanted to kill her husband. She didn't want Clarke taken into custody. Her eyes brimmed with tears as she watched her daughter struggle against the guards, only to be shocked into submission. She glanced away for a second and then forced herself to watch as they handcuffed her daughter and took her away.

"Mom!" Clarke screamed as they pushed her behind a door. That was the last thing Abby heard from Clarke. Maybe she could convince the chancellor to let her go se Clarke in hold up. She had to try.

/

Elyza looked down at Paige's hand and felt tears come to her eyes as the memory surfaced. She blinked it away and stared unemotionally into Paige's eyes.

"Elyza. These are my people. We aren't bitten. You can check. We are hungry and tired from travel." She glanced behind Paige into the gate and saw a few houses standing beyond.

"We'll have to check just to be safe but welcome to Arkadia." Paige smiles at the group before ushering them inside the gate.

They walked through the gate and saw various activities occurring within the gates. To the right it looked like some of the stronger individuals were carrying metal shards to the weak spots in the gate. To the left it looked like a school lesson was happening as three kids were sitting under a tree as an older woman was reading to them from a book. The guards that met them at the gate had machine guns but if needed Elyza knew she could get her hands on one.

"Arkadia is made up of about 6 different family. We have 12 houses within the perimeter. Your group will get one of them. If you all check out to be safe. I will need to interview everyone individually after I take a look at you to make sure you aren't bitten."

Paige was leading them to the biggest house on the block. It looked like there were 8 house just as you entered, 4 on each side of the street but that 2 houses in and if you took a right there were sure to be the rest of the houses. Elyza thought if she squinted enough and looked, that in between the two houses across the street she could see the top of a greenhouse or maybe a storage place for food. Once this interview was over or whatever she would need to explore the surroundings.

They entered the house and it was owned by a very wealthy family. Elyza looked at the photos on the wall as they headed into the back of the house.

"Everyone strip to their underwear please. If you'd like to have privacy, feel free to go into the living area, through that door." Paige pointed to their right. Elyza shrugged and was the first undressed. Her muscular form causing Alicia to start choking. Elyza turned and frowned at Alicia.

"Nothing anyone hasn't seen before, right?" She flexed her abs and her biceps a little as she stared at Alicia. She smirked and turned back to Paige. "Can I get dressed now?" Paige had her do a 360 as she checked her for any sign of a bite mark.

"Yes. Get dressed, go upstairs and two doors to the right is a waiting area. There's some water and fruit. Help yourself." Elyza smiled and nodded, grabbing her clothes but not bothering to put them on until she was upstairs. Slowly one by one her party joined her, all grumbling about having to undress in front of each other.

Alicia sat to her right as they waited for Paige to come into the room and do the interviews.

"Are you alright?" Alicia looked into Elyza's blue eyes. She was looking for any sign of doubt or any hint of the dark that sometimes surfaced when their past life was brought forward. "I recognise Paige from your sketchbook." Alicia explained.

"I'm...I'm fine. Thank you." Elyza smiled sweetly at the woman before her, taking the moment between them to caress Alicia's cheek with her fingertips. Alicia leaned in and placed her own hand on top of Elyza's. Opening her eyes she looked into blue and then turned Elyza's hand to her mouth, placing a light kiss against it's palm before releasing her hand.

"Get a room." Chris sneered at them as he came into the waiting room. He was the last one in and his father gave him a look. Chris sat down on the floor in a huff. Paige entered the room shortly after and stared at the group from the doorway.

"Who's the leader of the group? I'll be speaking to them first." Paige glanced around the room, waiting for someone to step forward.

Elyza looked between the various other adults in the room. She rolled her eyes when Travis stood up but allowed him to say he was the leader. The group didn't really have a leader when she thought about it. They all just fought over what to do next until someone made a convincing case on what to do.

Alicia glanced at Travis and then her mother. Her mom just seemed to sit there, not really going out of her way to make Travis sit down. If anyone was the leader it would be Elyza. She looked out for everyone in the group and listened to everyone. Elyza wasn't saying anything and so neither would Alicia. She would make it apparent who she sided with though and she laced her fingers with Elyza's as they sat and sipped at the small cups of water that they had grabbed from the little table that held a water pitcher and a bowl of fresh fruit.

Elyza turned to Alicia at the contact. She had never been this open about their relationship before. They still hadn't really officially told the group, although if they hadn't guessed by now then maybe they should find a new group.

They watched as one by one everyone went into the another room to talk with the woman and then were sent to the house that had been assigned to the group.

Paige came into the room, the only two left were Alicia and Elyza.

"Who first?" She looked between the two. Elyza slowly stood up, placing a kiss to Alicia's forehead as she followed the woman out of that romo and across the hall into a study.

"Your name?" Paige sat in a chair that was opposite the door and crossed her legs, plaing her hands on top of them.

"Elyza Lex." Elyza sat in the chair that faced Paiges and sat as she usually did. Her legs open and her hands folded on top of her crotch area.

"How did you find Arkadia?" Paige was studying her face.

"We followed the signs." Elyza was already getting bored of the interview.

"Where did your group come from?" Paige had already heard these answers from everyone but wanted to make sure that the group wasn't lying.

"We came from Oregon. Came down on a boat and then were supposed to connect with a second group. Turns out they had been turned though, so, we followed your signs and well, here we are." Paige saw the annoyance on Elyza's face and smiled slightly to herself, Elyza knew what she was doing.

"Do you think the dead will ever stop rising?" It was a standard question she tended to ask everyone, it would show Paige if the individual was optimistic, religious, pessimistic. It really showed her a lot about the individuals who she took into her small safe haven.

"What I've seen is that the dead come back. What I think doesn't really matter when I'm trapped in a building and facing my own death but to answer your question, no. They won't. It's probably going to become a worldwide thing and the most we can do is survive as humans and make sure that life becomes more than just surviving. That as individuals we find something worth living for and we keep it and allow it to grow." Her response hung between them and Paige nodded. She had never heard this type of a response before.

"You're welcome to stay in Arkadia. You will be a member of our scavenging team. The house assigned to your group is the last house on the left if walk straight down the street from the gate." Paige stood up and Elyza stood with her. That had been the shortest interview Paige had done yet.

"I'm waiting for Alicia." Elyza told Paige as she went back into the waiting room. Paige cocked her head to the side. No one had ever told her what they would be doing with that tone and gotten away with it. She had ordered Elyza to go to the house but she knew no amount of trying to force her there would get her there, so she sighed and had the brunette follow her into the interview room.

They sat down in the interview room, facing each other.

"Your name?" Paige sat how she had sat in the interviews before Alicia's.

"Alicia Clark." Paige nodded. She assumed as much with the interview of her family having been before hers.

"How did you hear about Arkadia?" Paige phrased the question different, wanting to see the different response she would get.

"We were on our way to the sunoco and Elyza saw one of the signs pointing here and told the group about it." Alicia crossed her legs, intertwining her fingers and setting them on top of her knee.

"Where did your group come from?" Paige assumed she knew what the woman in front of her would say.

"Most of us came from Oregon. Elyza was visiting family and is from Australia. We came to this town from a yacht and have been on foot ever since." Paige's eyebrow went up about Elyza. She had noticed the accent but alot of Americans had accents. Elyza didn't mention that in her interview but she supposes, she did ask about the group, not Elyza specifically.

"So, tell me, do you think we will ever cure the dead?" Paige uncrossed and recrossed her legs.

"No. I think the only cure for them is be put to death, permanently." She looked Paige in the eyes, the memories of all she had stabbed in the head so far coming to her mind. Paige frowned slightly. She wouldn't be able to trust Alicia with a weapon if all she would do is kill without thinking if the infected people could be saved or not.

"You are welcome to stay in Arkadia. You will be assigned to our garden. The house assigned to your group is the last on the left if you follow the road straight from the gate." Paige stood up and Alicia stood with her.

Alicia followed the woman out and went to the waiting room. Elyza stood when she entered the room and smiled at her.

"Let's go check out that house, yeah?" Elyza stepped forward, grabbing Alicia's hand as they went back downstairs.

They walked hand in hand down the street. Elyza nodding at people from the community as they passed by.

"So are we...?" Elyza started the question, letting it trail off.

"Official? Yes, Elyza, if you're okay with it." Alicia's head cocked to the side and her eyes drifted up towards the sky. The sky mirrored the color of Elyza's eyes and she found herself daydreaming up at the clouds as they approached the last house on the left. Elyza turned suddenly, putting her free hand on Alicia's hip. It looked as though they were getting ready to do a slow dance with how they were standing together.

"Of course I'd love us to be official." Elyza blushed slightly when she said us but instead of dwelling on it, she capturing Alicia's lips with her own. Alicia smiled against her lips and stepped back, squeezing their still intertwined fingers.

"To the house!" She let go of Elyza's fingers and ran to their new home, throwing the front door open. Elyza stood and blinked at the home. The house seemed long and the walkway into the front door dipped under a slight porch, the garage could be seen from the front but it looked as though a long hallway led down to the garage. There were double doors by the garage and she glance up at the top floor from the outside of the house. The window had a grate on it and she frowned. She'd need to remove that. The side of front she was looking at was decorated with rocks that jutted out here and there. A box sat in a cut out in the top right by the window, it held the numbers '2427'. Elyza sighed and walked up to the porch and into the house, closing the door behind her.

She had been right about a long hallway. She was looking at the end of the first floor from her spot by the front door. As she entered the foyer she looked to her right and left but was met by two very long curtains. The curtain to her right was slightly pulled back and Travis briefly stuck his head out.

"I figured Alicia and yourself would share a room. Chris and Ofelia already picked their rooms upstairs. Madison and I are in this one, David's across the foyer," he nodded his head toward the other curtain, "If you go down the hall, the kitchen is in the back on the right, the living room is on the left. Also, Strand took the Master bedroom but he is supposed to share the bathroom with everyone." Travis rolled his eyes and sighed in annoyance.

"Right well, thanks Travis." She half saluted at him and headed down the hall. She passed through the foyer and went from walking on tile to carpet. Only a few more steps and their was a door to her right. She peeked in and saw sinks, and then another door, and a shower and toilet.

"That's weird." She shrugged and continued on. The double doors from the outside met her to her left and if she looked to her right a dining room greeted her. The table was a red stained table that had 6 chairs around it. She found it odd that she hadn't seen any photos or collectables from the family before the dead came back but maybe the Arkadia people had removed them on purpose.

She looked down the hall and kept walking, the stairs were on the other side of the dining room and a white door was beside the stairs. She opened the white door and frowned, just a closet. She closed the door and kept walking, barely a step further and the wall dipped to the left a little and she was met with another door. She opened it and peeked her head in, a garage. A very empty, smelly garage. She closed the door quickly not wanting to think about why it smelled like rot. She headed towards the back of the first floor, the kitchen greeted her to her right. It had an island and the white tile gleamed at her. Elyza blinked a few times, seeing the sliding door that led to the backyard from beside two doors. She opened the doors, it was a small pantry that held some food. She peeked outside into the backyard, a hammock swung between two small trees. She turned her head to the left and saw the couches that lined the living room. There was an L shaped couch with an ottoman, a love seat, and a recliner.

She stared at it and then headed to the stairs, climbing them two at a time. The stairs looped around and she was suddenly standing in another long hallway. She looked to her right, seeing an opening in the wall on her left. She walked towards it and peeked in, a washer and dryer sat looking as if they hadn't been used in years. She frowned at them and headed towards the front end of the house again, passing a door to the right and 4 to her left. The only door that was open was on the right. She headed to it, assuming it was to be her new room.

She peeked her head in, the entrance to the room dipped forward and then opened into a nice space. There was a full sized mattress, covered with a purple bed sheet set to her left and to the right was a dresser. She walked around the dip, seeing two sliding doors for a closet.

Elyza looked at the bed and smiled. Alicia was sprawled across most of it, her breathing evened out in sleep. Elyza stepped closer to the bed and kissed her cheek and forehead. She went over to the bag by the nightstand and pulled out her sketchbook. She would be there whenever Alicia would wake up.

Alicia woke to the feeling of an arm around her waist, an arm under her neck, and the rhythmic puff of air on her neck. She smiled to herself. She hadn't meant to fall asleep when they had first gotten here, she had just saw the bed and couldn't help herself. She turned around in the arms that held her and kissed the nose of the slumbering form before her. Light was coming through the window and Alicia wondered how long they had been asleep. She gently moved the arm from her waist and gently got out of the bed, not wanting to wake Elyza. She glanced at the floor and saw pages from Elyza's sketchbook thrown around with pencils here and there. She sighed and start to clean it up. She glanced at some of the drawings as she organized them into a stack and chastised herself. These drawings were essentially Elyza's journal and she refused to invade her privacy. She picked up the stack of papers and the few pencils strewn around and put them on top of the dresser.

She turned back to Elyza and smiled at the sight before her. Blonde hair was a mess against the pillows and she occasionally would mumble in her sleep. She heard a knock at their bedroom door and cracked it. Travis stood before her, his hair looking wet like he had just bathed.

"The showers are working here. There's only a little hot water left. You might wanna wait until after work to shower. Elyza needs to head to the gate soon. The party she's assigned too will be going out to look for food soon. The garden is in the backyard behind the house we interviewed at. There's even a greenhouse. You both have an hour to get to where you need to be." Travis was trying to be hopeful. He knew Alicia wouldn't want to separate from her family but would to stay with Elyza and he was lucky so far that Elyza's temper hadn't gotten out of control.

"Okay. Thank you Travis." Alicia nodded from her spot behind the door and closed it on him. She turned toward Elyza. She walked back to the bed and gently shuffled back to where she had been before against Elyza. She felt Elyza's breathing change, indicating that she was probably asleep but not wanting to move. Alicia looked at the face before her and felt the butterflies in her chest that always seemed to be there when Elyza was around.

"Hey." Elyza grumbled out, nestling as close to Alicia as she could. Alicia kissed the top of Elyza's head and wrapped her arms around the woman, tangling their legs.

"Good morning." Alicia whispered. She didn't want to ruin the serenity that had surrounded them. "Did you hear Travis?" She kissed the top of Elyza's head again. She felt the nod against her and smiled.

"I'll rise but I refuse to shine." Elyza grumbled. She had never been a morning person and Alicia found it horribly adorable.

"I'll shine for us both." Alicia's eyes flickered to the dresser. "I picked up your mess. Everything is on the dresser. I did my best not to look through anything."

"Thank you. I was going to pick it up before I went to bed last night and I just...didn't. You can look through anything you want." Alicia felt the kiss on her neck and felt the blush creep to her cheeks.

"Well, let's get up Elyza. You can cook me some food." She offered as a bribe to get Elyza up. Elyza groaned and flopped over and off the bed. She fell with a humpf and sat up slowly.  
"Deal." Elyza stuck her tongue out at Alicia before heading downstairs.

/

Elyza looked at the two other men with her. "This is it?" She looked at Paige. "I mean, I could probably manage on my own." Paige shook her head, letting a smile come across her features.

"We all know I can't trust you enough for that. You can pick a firearm and a melee weapon. Know they we'll count the bullets used. Try not to damage the weapons too bad." Paige almost pleaded with her, sensing her recklessness.

"Yeah, whatever." Elyza grumbled and looked in the bin by the gate. Paige had unlocked it when Elyza had shown up. "Okay tweedle dee and tweedle dum, let's go." She had grabbed two melee weapons instead of a firearm. Her experiment in the houses by the sunoco had confirmed what she thought, noise attracted the dead and she needed to come home to Alicia tonight.

"If you fire those guns, I will cut your trigger fingers off." Elyza told the two boys that Paige had sent with her. She had waited to threaten them until Paige was out of earshot. The taller of the two had blonde hair and Elyza swore that he had stepped back slightly when she had turned to threaten them.

Elyza put the sword she had picked up under her shirt and strapped the dagger she had grabbed to her thigh. She headed to the gate and nodded at Travis and the other long haired man that was with him. They quickly opened the gate and Elyza stepped out, her two lackeys behind her.

"Aw. Who doesn't love the smell of death in the morning?" She smiled and glanced at dee and dum. She'd make them regret being assigned to her.

She looked at the neighborhood before them and sighed. "Where have you already searched?" She started down the street. She'd take them closer to downtown, run them into some dead, find some junk, and head back. Maybe if she were lucky dee and dum would get scared and run back. She glanced behind her and saw dee shrug.

"Really Dee? Fucking idiots." She looked out toward the neighborhood again.

"My name is Stanley." Dee went to grab her arm to turn her. Elyza grabbed his hand, turned with him, and bent his wrist back. He went down to the floor trying to get some relief to his wrist.

"Whatever Dee. Don't try to touch me again." She released his wrist and looked at Dum expectantly. He held his hands up in surrender, not wanting to tempt the fates with this woman.

"That's what I thought. See? Dum knows the rules." She looked down at Dee and then turned around, walking back towards the skyscrapers in the distance.

Alicia looked at the small garden that greeted her view and the small greenhouse to the right. Various plants lined the rows of the garden. She could make out 3 different types of tomatoes and several types of peppers. A smaller girl was trying to carry a large pot that held some overgrown basil over to the greenhouse.

"Fucking pot is so heavy. Next time Grenda can fucking bring this into the green ass house." The girl mumbled as she walked past Alicia. She was shorter than Alicia by about 6 inches and looked to only be about 13 or 14. Her hair was curly and bushy and her eyes were angry slits as she huffed and puffed, trying to see over the basil. As she approached the greenhouse Alicia ran over and opened the door for her.

"Thank you or what the fuck ever. You're the new girl huh?" The smaller girl went over to the corner of the greenhouse and set the pot down. The greenhouse was full with bags of soil and fertilizer, only a few pots lined the back of it. They had clearly just started their garden not too long ago based on how bare the greenhouse seemed to be.

"Yeah and you are?" Alicia let the question hang between them as the girl stepped out of the greenhouse. Alicia closed the door as they headed over to the tomato plants.

"That answer will cost you something. Knowledge is power now, you know." The girl shrugged, her loose t-shirt going from one shoulder to the other.

"I can always just ask someone else." Alicia shrugged. She looked at the garden. It was starting to become overridden with weeds. The smaller girl scowled at her, the logic making her mad.

"Fine. My name is Hope." The younger girl watched as Alicia sat down in the grass beside the garden and started to weed it.

"The other lady that works the garden is Grenda. She's old and fucking gets on my nerve." Hope rolled her eyes, putting her hands on her hips.

"That just means I will too. Either water the plants that still need it, like those peppers over there, or get down here and weed the garden with me." Alicia looked up at Hope, a threatening glare flashed across her features as she demanded respect from the younger girl. Hope mumbled and sat down beside her.

/

Elyza approached the first building they'd be venturing into for the day. She had heard dee and dum talking literally behind her back. So far she had the names of half of the camp, knew what kind of a rash leader Paige was, and had decided she didn't necessarily know if she wanted to stay there with Alicia.  
She turned to the two behind her. "So, here's how it's gonna go down. We stay by the door, I go in and make some noise, it'll draw them to the door, we stab their heads and then we raid. If you stray from what I said, you will get punished. Remember, I would just love to have those fingers to show Paige." She let her eyes show the amusement she would have by trying to explain to Paige how they'd lost their fingers.

Elyza turned back towards the house, unsheathing the sword that rested on her back. She went into the department store and looked over at a magazine rack. She walked over to it and threw it as hard as she could against the floor.

She quickly walked back to the doors and noticed that Dee and Dum had switched from their pistols to their knives. She smiled to herself, a small victory in teaching this idiots how to survive. They stood for a few minutes, waiting. The tension was heavy as they saw the first couple head to the door.

"We should just go in and kill them. It's only a few." Dee shrugged. Elyza glanced to her right at him.

"Do you just want to die Dee? Are you that fucking suicidal? Go into that store and you'll die. It's a big store, there will be more than just one or two." She harshly said to him. The first walker reached towards her but she brought her sword across its neck, its head falling to the pavement with a thud. She watched as more of the dead started to appear. Dee and Dum were holding up okay, until they got tired of fighting.

"There's too many!" Dum shouted to her.

"We're heading to the smaller store we passed on the way here!" Dee screamed at her. She frowned as she heard them running. At least they had forgotten about their pistols. 9 walkers were left and those asshats were just gonna leave her?

She shrugged at them as she twirled with her sword, taking one walker down after another. She killed the last one after having kicked it's knees out and headed into the store. Luckily she had the duffel bag, Dee had thrown it by the entrance of the store before they had started. She would collect what she could, move on, and make it back by dark, with or without her two man party.

She walked the aisles, shoving cans of fruit and beans into the bag. She wandered over to the other aisles, pocketing a chapstick and some new pencils to draw with. Paige could deal with it, she was risking her life after all.

She looked at the electronics that had been left and rolled her eyes. None of this would be entirely useful now. She headed to the sporting good section and found it bare. The only things left were a few lanterns and a small fish fillet knife. She took the knife and broke it out of the packaging. Keeping it in the sheath, she shoved it into her back pocket.  
She sighed and headed to the front of the store again. She was about to head out when she looked over and saw the books. No one had even touched them in their frenzy to get survival tools. She looked at the titles. Nothing incredibly stood out to her but there was a book on gardening. She looked through the pages and shrugged, throwing it in the bag, Alicia might find it useful. She headed out of the store and went down the street. Knowing the two that came with her, they were probably already half way back to Arkadia. She shrugged, it was a future her problem.

Elyza huffed the duffle bag onto her back. It was only slightly after noon and Dee and Dum had never made it back to her. She sighed as she felt the weight against her back. If too many of the dead came at her at once, she'd have to drop the bag to fight.

"Fucking Paige. Sending me to gather shit for this colony thing and sending me out with boys who ran off at the first sign of trouble." Elyza looked up the street she was on. She had about a 20 minute walk in front of her to get back to Arkadia and she was not happy about it. She spit out the toothpick she had found and reached with her free hand into her pocket. She pulled out a cigarette case that had an eagle on one side and opened it. It was full of toothpicks and a few cigarettes she had found. She held the case up to her mouth and managed to nab another toothpick. She snapped the case closed and slid it back into her back pocket. She had managed to find some acrylic paint, a canvas, and a few books for Alicia to read while she had been out.

If Paige even went to grab for it, she'd have a sassy Elyza yelling at her about how dangerous this whole activity was and how maybe Paige herself should come on one of these scavenges and experience it for herself.

Elyza paused in the street. She thought she had heard a scream coming from her left. She started walking again, slightly picking up her pace. If someone did scream she didn't want to get caught in the mess the noise would attract.

She swirled the toothpick around in her mouth, chewing on the edge of it. Maybe going to Arkadia had been a mistake. She wouldn't really know until later. She paused again, hearing the scream.

"Nope." She whispered. She headed to the right side of the street, walking on the sidewalk. Atleast if the dead came toward the scream she could duck inside one of the houses. She listened and darted inside a house. She had heard gunfire. "Fuck." She mumbled. She hoped it wasn't Dee or Dum. It had sounded feminine. She closed the door behind her and crouched beside the door, peeking out the window to the right of the door. She listened and waited.

Just as she was about to stand up, she heard the cars. Three cars were headed down the street that she was on. "Shit." All of the cars were big SUVs. She narrowed her eyes as they passed. 'Azplana' was painted on the sides of the cars. She would need to ask Paige about this when she got back. Hopefully the name wouldn't ring a bell with her but if it did, then Elyza would be furious.

Elyza watched them go past and down the street and waited an extra ten minutes until heading back towards Arkadia.

/

Alicia stood up and stretched her back. They had been weeding all morning and she was sick of it.

"What if we raised this up?" She looked beside her at the older woman who had come out to join them a few hours ago. "It would give better irrigation and room for the plants roots to grow." She suggested. She put her dirty hands on her hips and looked at the mess of the weeds they had pulled up beside the garden.

"Where would you find the soil? Or the pieces to hold the soil up?" The older woman who was wearing overalls looked over at Alicia.

"Grenda, we're standing on soil." Alicia eyed her, slightly annoyed. "We have shovels in the shed and I'm sure if I talked to Paige we could dig over by the fence line." She pointed toward the metal of the gate on the other side of the garden. "We need to get foil to keep the birds away as well. Think you could get us some?"

"I could get us a few pieces. Let me talk to Sally from the pantry. She cooks the community meals on Friday." Grenda put her fingers under her chin in thought.

"Hope, could you try and find wood boards or plastic pieces." She turned toward the slightly shorter girl.

"Fuck yeah. Not a problem." Hope crossed her arms, looking at the garden in front of them, thinking about how she would get her hands on what she needed.

"No stealing Hope." Alicia warned. She had already punished the girl slightly earlier by making her wait longer for her lunch.

"I'm not fucking dumb Alicia." Hope grumbled. She started to walk away from the trio. "She called me stupid I'm not stupid."

"Well, we're done for the day then. See you guys tomorrow. Let me know how far you all get on your tasks. I'll go talk to Paige. She looked down and frowned. "After a shower."

Elyza had to question the guards at the gates when she got back. Dee and Dum had gone back hours ago, each with a small bag of a few cans of food. The guards had tried to take Elyza's duffel bag but were cut short by her just leaving and heading toward where they said she'd find Paige.

She smiled lightly when she saw Alicia and Paige in front of the garden. Alicia made a few hand gestures at the garden and smiled brightly at Paige. Paige had obviously gone with whatever it was Alicia had been discussing.

"Hate to interrupt." Elyza flicked the toothpick around in her mouth before it settled back to where it was in her mouth. "Nice spread." She nodded at the garden behind the pair.

"We were just finishing." Paige was walking toward Elyza, expecting Alicia to follow her. Alicia followed with a frown, checking every inch of Elyza she could. Dried blood spotted her here and there but no marks or bruises were on her exposed skin.

"I'm not bit before you ask, and not all of what's in this bag is for everyone. Try to take it from me and you'll just have to come risk your neck with me the next time you send me out, yeah?" Elyza huffed the duffel bag down, zipping it open. She glanced at Alicia and noticed the worrying gaze. Her eyes softened for a moment and she sighed.

"Take what you gathered for yourself then but I want to see what it is. Why did Stanley and Lars come back so early? They told us all you were bit and that they had to leave you." Paige crossed her arms as she watched Elyza pull out the art supplies and books that she had gathered.

"Like shit they did! We were at a department store. You go down the street and turn left and make two rights and another left." She had kept track of the street names, just the turns it took to get there so they could eventually get back to Arkadia. "I went in and made noise and as soon as those pissbabies saw the amount of dead we had to get through they panicked and fucking left me. Don't you ever send them out with me again. I could've gotten more done if they'd just stayed here." Elyza took the toothpick out of her mouth and snapped it into two pieces. "I found almost a full duffel bags worth of food. You wanna know something else I found while I was out there?" Elyza stood up and crossed her arms, looking Paige in the eyes.

"What's that?" Paige's mouth twitched at the corner in anticipation.

"I saw three giant SUVs with a strange word on the side. Do you know what word I'm talking about Paige? If you've put my family in danger Paige..." She left the threat open on purpose.

"Azplana." Paige sighed. She uncrossed her arms. "Seems we have much to talk about. Let's conviene later tonight? An hour after dinner?" She looked between the pair, assuming that if one came, the other would be there as well.

"We have a deal Paige. An hour after dinner." She bent down and grabbed the art supplies, leaving the books for Alicia, and headed to their designated house so she could shower and relax a few hours before dinner. Paige watched Elyza leave, the questions she were thinking about the woman forming in her head.

"But you'll let us dig over by the fence? To raise the garden? We'll need more pots for the plants to move them properly." Alicia reminded Paige. Paige turned back to Alicia, their eyes meeting.

"Yes. That's what I can send Elyza out for next." Paige's eyebrow went up as if she were waiting for some sort of rebuttal.

"Fine but I'm going with her. Stanley and Lars clearly can't up so I'll go in their stead. Plus, I know what sizes we need and she doesn't." Alicia waved her hand and bent down gathering the 5 books that had brought back as gifts for her. "I'll see you after dinner." Alicia nodded at her and smiled leaving before Paige could get a word in.

/

Alicia quickly walked up to the room she shared with Elyza and smiled. On the white nightstand beside the bed was a piece of Elyza's sketchbook. It was an image of her asleep on a couch, the little gear in the middle of her forehead telling her it was of when she was Lexa. She smiled at it and gently touched the paper. She looked beside the drawing another piece of her sketchbook. Elyza had used calligraphy and had written 'for you xo- Elyza' on it. She looked beside the paper and saw a chapstick, a pack of mint gum, a bookmark, a reading night light, and some red lipstick.

She grabbed the lipstick and headed into the bathroom, a grin plastered on her face. She heard the shower running and opened the first door. "Elyza?" She wanted to make sure it was her other before she just waltzed on in.

"Yeah?" Elyza called from the shower.

"I was just going use the mirror, want me to close the other door by the toilet?" Alicia didn't want to invade her privacy.

"No, that's alright." The sound of water splashing with Elyza's movement could be heard. Alicia closed the first door and wiped away a spot in the mirror. She opened the lipstick and puckered, applying an even amount before closing the lipstick and slipping out of the bathroom just as Elyza was turning off the water.

She headed back into their bedroom and looked at the books. Year Round Gardening sounded boring but she could understand why it was grabbed. This was a necessary skill now. Eventually the prepacked food would go bad or would be used up. Peter Pan that was her favorite book growing up. She smiled as she ran her hand down the spine and set that aside. She would be going to neverland tonight if Paige's talk with them had anything to say about it. Ash looked like a teen novel but she read the summary and decided she might as well give it a go. Carmilla was set aside with Peter Pan. Alicia had already read it but enjoyed it enough that she had bought her own edition last year. The last book confused her. It didn't really seem to fit the theme that Elyza had been going for. Maybe it was for her? She set Life is A Country Song over with the gardening book.

"I see you found your gifts." Elyza looked at Alicia's lips. Elyza was wrapped loosely in a towel and wiggled her eyebrows at Alicia, making a small blush creep into Alicia's cheeks.

"You didn't need to bring me back anything. Thank you for the books Elyza." She turned back toward her three piles and grabbed the copy of Peter Pan, flipping it open. She had only turned the pages a few times before she heard Elyza putting on some clothes and slipping into their bed.

"You going to read on the floor?" Elyza looked at her from her spot on the bed.

"Maybe?" Alicia absently said, still distracted her in her book.

"Then I guess no cuddles for you while you read." Elyza turned so that her back was facing Alicia. She heard a page turn, a sigh, and then felt the compression of Alicia being in the bed. Elyza flipped back over, snaking an arm over Alicia's waist as she laid flat down.

"Wake me for dinner." Elyza grumbled out. Alicia looked down and saw a mess of blonde hair against a white tank top and smiled. She gently ran her fingers along Elyza's arm in response.

They were in the room where they had been interviewed. Paige had led them there after Arkadias 'Family Dinner'. They did it once a week and Elyza decided she hated it. She'd rather eat at home where she could draw. She frowned at her thoughts. Alicia was home. Not some temporary shit house. Alicia had sat down when Paige had asked them too but Elyza remained standing, crossing her arms.

"Where do I begin." Paige sighed, rubbing her head.

"The beginning." Elyza crossed her arms. She looked at Paige and frowned at her, letting her eyes intimidate instead of her words. Her icy blue eyes met amused brown ones and Elyza felt herself smirk.

"Well, when this all started." Paige kept her eyes locked with Elyza's. "We were a lot bigger but another woman felt she should be in charge. We butted heads and called the people to cast a vote. Furious that she lost, her and her followers left. Soon enough they made their own 'settlement' in the northern part of town." Paige crossed her legs, moving a strand of her hair from in front of her eyes to behind her ear.  
"They've slowly been coming to this part of town for the last few weeks and have started to take our resources. I've tried talking with her and nothing has worked." Paige sounded exasperated.

"I can scout them out if you want. Learn their routes. We could bring the fight to them instead." Elyza suggested.

"No, that's alright. I doubt she would outright go against the truce we have set up. It just worries me you saw them that close to the Ark." Paige sighed, looking at Alicia.

"If they start acting weird, just let me know and I'll-"

"-We'll find them." Alicia interrupted. Elyza looked over at Alicia and smiled slightly. She had forgotten that she had made a promise that they'd deal with this life together.

"Don't say anything to the others please. I don't want them to worry." Paige pleaded slightly with her eyes. Elyza scoffed. This woman had only been half a mother to her in her other life but this was different and she would try to patient.

"Fine." Elyza huffed out, acting more like a child than her own age.

/

Elyza stared at the canvas before her. Her vision for it was only half complete and she couldn't start painting until she knew exactly what she wanted. She was laying on the floor, chewing on the inseam of the top of her shirt in thought. Finally the image she wanted to paint finished in her mind. She looked at the bed and heard the flip of a page from a book. She smiled letting it settle in her eyes and turned back to her canvas. She sat up and organized her paints in how she would need to use them. This painting would feature some purples and oranges and black. She looked at her paints and grabbed a dark blue. She could always add white to change the colors to the shades she needs.

She grabbed a pencil and started to sketch on the canvas. She had the outline of the tower in the background and the outline of Lexa and Clarkes bodies on top of a hill, seeming to look out towards the tower. She nodded, her vision starting to appear in a sketch. She grabbed the black paint and poured it on the paper plate she managed to steal from dinner. She covered the canvas in black and waited for it to dry. She decided to start with the orange in the middle, using it to outline the bodies and the tower in the distance. She waited for it to dry and grabbed the purple and blue. She added it to create a storm effect on the piece, smiling at her work as it was almost finished. She looked at it and frowned, deciding to add more orange to create a tree line and a slight hill.

"What do you think?" She held it up so Alicia could see.

"That's stunning Elyza. Is that...is that us?" She pointed at the outline of the figures. Elyza nodded slowly, looking at the expression on Alicia's features and smiling.

"I have many skills sweetheart." Elyza winked at Alicia before setting her painting against the wall beside the nightstand.

"Paige was in your sketchbook." Alicia turned on her side in the bed, watching Elyza's expressions for any sign of discomfort.

"She was my mum in the other life. She was going to let me be killed on my 18th birthday. She treated me like a child, even when I became wanheda." Elyza's voice was a mere whisper as she headed towards the bed.

"Wanheda?" Alicia sat up, beckoning for Elyza to come to her. She spread her legs and allowed Elyza to stand in between them so she could fully embrace her. She rubbed circles on Elyza's back.

"Commander of death babe." Elyza kissed Alicia's neck. Alicia hummed in response.

"When do you think I'll start to remember more?" Alicia pulled Elyza closer to her and ran her fingers through the blonde waves.

"I don't know but I'll be here when you do Alicia. Promise."

A few days passed only being painted by getting into a domestic routine but today was the day. The day that Elyza and Alicia were to go out and get the pots for the garden.

"I'm going Elyza." Alicia crossed her arms. Elyza groaned in response and leaned against the island in the kitchen. They had been arguing about it the last hour and Elyza could tell she wasn't getting anywhere with the brunette.

"Fine but I'm picking your weapons when we leave." Elyza narrowed her eyes waiting for Alicia to argue but instead Alicia shrugged, touching Elyza's cheek softly with her hand as she walked past, headed for the front door of the house.

Elyza groaned again and headed after Alicia. It wouldn't help if Alicia made it to the gate without her. It was only a few strides and she had caught up with Alicia. Alicia had heard Elyza coming and had quickened her pace, starting a light jog. She turned toward Elyza and let out a laugh as the pair started to race towards the gate.

They were at a sprint, dodging around people and objects in the road, Elyza sliding over the hood of a car and Alicia doing a 360 around people as she passed by. They reached the gate breathless and laughing, holding onto each other as the guard rolled his eyes.

"You know the drill, one melee and one firearm." The guard unlocked the box by the gate. Elyza had seen them move it the night before. She was determined to know where they locked it all up in case of an emergency. Being defenseless was a foolish choice in the world where the dead were gone and the living were hungry.

Elyza grabbed a bat and handed it to Alicia. She stared at the box and sighed, grabbing a dagger in a thigh sheath. She kneeled in front of Alicia and strapped it to her thigh, ignoring the look Alicia couldn't help but give her.

Elyza looked back in the box and sighed, running a hand through her hair. She grabbed a katana and slung the strap of the sheath over her back. Her secondary weapon she decided, would be a pack of throwing knives. She strapped it to her thigh and stretched her leg to get used to the feel of it.

Alicia nodded at Elyza telling her she was ready to leave. Elyza turned toward the guard.

"The gate please. We'll be back today sometime I guess. Don't wait up." She saluted the guard as she walked backwards out of the gate, only turning when she cleared the gate. Alicia rolled her eyes at her.

"You forgot your toothpicks." Alicia teased her.

"I never forget, I just left them behind sweetheart." Elyza shrugged. "I have no idea where a home depot is around here."

"Don't you have many skills?" Alicia smirked at her. Elyza narrowed her eyes slightly as they walked through the neighborhood.

"You wanna find out?" Elyza's voice deepened slightly as they walked. They were relatively alone and maybe she'd be able to use that to her advantage when it came to winning over Alicia. Alicia blushed at the husky hint in Elyza's voice and started to pick up the pace of their walk.

Elyza was denied a response as they took a right turn. She watched as they went from a neighborhood to a street lined with stores.

"I went through here last time. It was already picked through. Let's keep moving babe." Elyza huffed out as she continued walking down the street. She looked to the right. Something seemed off. "Let's get outta here quick." Elyza grabbed Alicia's hand and just as they started to take off at a run, a man stepped out from behind one of the scattered cars.  
"Where you lovelies headed off too?" The man was lanky and tall. His eyes seemed to bore into Elyza. She instinctively stood in front of Alicia and listened.

"Elyza..." Alicia whispered. Three other men had surrounded them.

"Now either we do this the easy way or we do this the hard way, you're choice mate." Elyza's hand flickered by her throwing knives.

"Is the easy way you surrendering?" The man in front of her asked.

"No. That a stupid ass question mate and it's the wrong answer. Why would you even think that's the easy way." Elyza looked at him as if he were the stupidest man she'd ever seen. Which wasn't far from the truth.

She quickly knocked the katana from its sheath and advanced toward the man in front of her.

"Remember the rules of survival, Alicia." She shouted back as she advanced. Alicia watched as the three men advanced and attempted to circle her.

"Aw come on. How do I know which one of you is the best? I only fight the best you know." Alicia looked between the three men.

"I'm the best!" Shouted one.

"No Rick, I'm the best!" Shouted a second. Alicia watched as they quickly began to argue amongst themselves.

"Guys guys guys, listen. Here's an easy solution, you fight each other to the death and whoever wins is obviously the strongest. Then the strongest can fight me." Alicia looked between the three of them as the three of them looked at her and then each other. She watched as they quickly turned on each other.

Elyza approached the lanky man. "You had to just pick the hard way!" She was getting angrier the more she had to look at him. "You couldn't just walk away. Stubborn ass manpig." The lanky man was starting to walk toward her, his own knife in hand. Elyza raised the katana and watched him sprint towards her. The closer he got the more she noticed which side he favored. He had started running with his right leg which meant his left leg would be going past her. She narrowed her eyes and bent down to the ground as he passed, letting the sword slice through his achilles tendon with the momentum of his run. The man crumpled to the floor, screaming in pain as he tried to grip his ankle. Elyza stood and quickly stabbed his head with her katana.

She rolled her eyes and turned toward Alicia watching for a moment to see what she was doing before intervening. She was amused to find that Alicia had turned the other three men against themselves but then again, if they were following manpig then maybe they weren't as smart as she had initially thought.

Elyza calmly walked beside Alicia, kissing the side of her head before turning to the final goon.

"Feel strong?" She asked him. He nodded, his nostrils flaring. "I'm stepping in for the hottie." She winked at Alicia as she straightened the blade of the katana, flinging blood toward the final man. They started circling each other. She didn't find him very strong but maybe that's because all she needed to do was break his kneecap to execute him. She rolled her eyes, using her free hand to throw a knife at him. It hit him in the thigh but he barely seemed to register it.

She stopped circling and he rushed forward. She slid to the right just out of his reach and knocked him in the jaw with the hilt of the katana. He stumbled slightly and turned to face her. This time she rushed him. He picked her up, gathering the strength to throw her to the ground. She repositioned her grip on the katana but before she could stab down he crumpled to the floor. She quickly got up and looked at Alicia who was wide eyed. Her bat was bloodied and cradled in her hands. Elyza turned toward the man who was still breathing and stabbed him through the head. Hopefully if they were all dead who ever set them up here would get the idea that they couldn't stay.

"Come on sweetheart. We need to keep moving." Elyza cupped Alicia cheek and kissed her forehead before turning back towards the direction they had been going.

Alicia was crouched down beside Elyza behind an abandoned car. They had finally stumbled upon a home depot but it looked like it had been slightly overrun with more of the dead then just the two of them could handle.

"I'll draw them out and distract while you run in and get what we need. Find the long carts, get whatever size pots you need. Head up the street and then hide in a house. Leave the cart by the front door so I know which door, okay babe?" Elyza blinked a few times, looking from Alicia's eyes to her lips. Alicia groaned and let it turn into a sigh, knowing that Elyza wouldn't let her fight.

Alicia bit her lip and then grabbed the top of Elyza's shirt, pulling her in for a hard kiss and then letting her go. "Come back to me Elyza." Elyza nodded, the feeling of Alicia's lips lingering on her own. She pulled an iPod out of her pocket and fumbled around with it for a few seconds before the keyboards melody and the beating of a drum filled the air, quickly followed by the singer and some trumpets. Elyza stood up, turning the music all the way up. She put the iPod back in her back pocket and unsheathed her katana, heading straight for the front door of the home depot.

The dead turned towards, hearing the noise of the song and hearing her hum along. She had picked up the iPod as they had headed away from Arkadia and had frowned at the music she didn't know. She found the song to be just as she needed as she slashed and kept moving. Dead after dead kept falling until she heard a cart. She looked over the dead surrounding her and saw Alicia dragging a cart to the entrance of the garden center.

Elyza's song briefly ended and the next came on, she continued to move the dead away from the garden center, walking backwards and twirling the katana in her hand.

"COME HERE AND GET IT YOU BLOODY FUCKWITS!" Elyza screamed, regaining the attention of the dead that had turned toward Alicia and the ruckus of the cart. Elyza watched as more of the dead started tumbling out of the store. She frowned but resumed fighting.

Alicia was going to look to see the horde that had surrounded Elyza but decided against it, she needed to stay focused. She ran into the garden center after dragging the long cart over. She looked around briefly and took off to her left. She unsheathed her dagger, the song Elyza was playing could be heard in the distance.

Run boy run. This world is not meant for you. They're trying to catch you.

Soil, soil, soil, stakes. She took a sharp right and quickly stabbed the dead that she had come across, pushing him to the floor and using her foot as leverage to get her dagger back. She quickly had it back in her hand and was running down the aisles again. Fertilizer, fertilizer, pots, pots. She stopped, looking at what was left from when the dead had started to rise. She grabbed three pots, running back the way she came. She set them on the cart and ran back into the store, heading straight for the aisle with the pots. She needed 8 more pots. All the same size.

The beat of the song in her head, she stabbed at the dead as she made her last run into the store. She grabbed the last two pots, grabbing some stakes as she passed by. She put them on the long cart.

It's time to run it's time to run.

"ELYZA!" She called out. She locked eyes with Elyza as Elyza brought down two of the dead. Elyza nodded in understanding.

Tomorrow is another day as the night fades away.

She grabbed the long orange handle of the cart and started to run, the beat of the song retreating as she headed back into the neighborhood they had passed.

Elyza cut an opening down around the dead. She was starting to become tired, her muscles aching from all the physical exertion.  
The beat of song ended as she took off after Alicia, running with all her might. She sheathed her katana against her back as she headed in the direction of the neighborhoods. She fumbled with the iPod silencing the song she decided will forever be her 'get-me-out-of-this-alive' song.

She took a right and then a left looking specifically for the orange cart. She took a left, the dead slowly dwindling behind her. She spotted the cart beside a car, the sight of the pots and stakes making her smile. Alicia hopefully was in the process of checking the house.

Elyza glanced behind her, too many for her to stop. She took a right and hopped a fence, landing in a backyard. A dead woman groaned and turned toward her. Elyza quickly grabbed a knife from her thigh, adjusting the weight in her hand she let it fly. It stuck out of the woman skull. She ran forward and grabbed the knife as the woman fell backward, going to the left and hopping another fence. She did this for two more houses before going back to the street.

The dead had followed her were stuck at the gate of the first house she had hopped. She crouched and headed past the orange cart. She softly opened the door to the house and gently closed it behind her, the click of the door only being heard to her.

"Alicia?" She whispered out around her. She wiped at the sweat on her forehead and frowned when she realized it did nothing. Her skin was covered in it, even her hand. She pulled her shirt up briefly and wiped the sweat off of her face. She stood up suddenly and headed up the stairs to her left. She looked as two of the dead were scratching and screaming at a door to her left.

"Elyza?" She heard a panicked voice from behind the door. Elyza unsheathed her katana, quickly making work of the dead before her. She opened the door and saw a disheveled Alicia.

"They snuck up on me." Alicia explained with wide eyes.

"It happens. I like to hit something before I explore the house so I don't get trapped love. Maybe you should consider doing the same." Alicia nodded, stepping forward and hugging Elyza, kissing her cheek as she reassured her that they both had survived the home depot.

Alicia felt Elyza's heartbeat against her own and sighed in relief. "Let's rest for a moment Elyza. We can head out when that group dissolves?" She half suggested.

"Of course." Elyza wrapped her arms around Alicia. They were both alive.

Elyza stared at the gate before her. Alicia was beside her and that's all that seemed to matter. They had gotten back an hour later than she guessed they would be back. She wondered if Paige was going to say anything to them...or even worse, Alicia's mom. Elyza had felt the tension growing between them every time they had to talk. That mother daughter bond from a past life coming through in the way Paige seemed to silently question her and steal glances her way when they passed by each other. They had only been in Arkadia a few days and already Elyza was growing tired of seeing the older woman. Elyza tugged her sleeves up and gripped her katana anxiously.

"Let's go, love. Any later and they might come out looking for us." Elyza turned toward Alicia and nodded her head. She started forward and as they reentered Arkadia Elyza sighed. Madison and Paige were both waiting by the front, apparently having watched them come up to the gate from the peek hole that adorned the right side of the gate.

"You're late." Paige crossed her arms slightly, tapping her foot.

"Well, we never officially agreed on a time we'd be back, did we. So, how can I be late?" Elyza watched as Madison rushed forward, taking Alicia in her arms. She was making sure she was okay. Elyza looked away, a sadness building behind her eyes.

"You're late because I said you're late." Paige glanced behind them to all the gardening supplies they had grabbed.

"Well you aren't my real Mum." Elyza scoffed. She started to head to the house when she felt a hand grip her arm. She turned and quickly found herself lost in greens eyes.

"I'll meet you at home. Take a shower." Alicia said quietly. Elyza nodded in response and took Alicia's hand off of her arm and into her own, kissing the top of her knuckles in goodbye.

/

Elyza opened her sketchbook. She had just taken a quick shower and just placed her new iPod on the nightstand. She shifted on the bed slightly as she fumbled through the pages of her sketchbook. She passed by drawing of Lexa and of those 100 that fell from the sky with her. She was at a loss. Should she tell Paige about their past life or would that be breaking some time bullshit rule she didn't know about. She told Alicia but that seemed to be different. Alicia would remember. Alicia had to remember. She had been having dreams about it anyway. Elyza psychically shook her head hoping to rid herself of the thoughts that plagued her mind.

She opened to her last sketch and turned the page to a fresh blank page. She stared at it ad let her mind create what she wanted to draw before she started to sketch it. She was halfway through the base lines for her sketch when the door to the room was opened. Alicia sighed as she entered, closing the door softly behind her. As she walked to the bed she stripped herself of her blouse and jeans. She sat on the bed and then crawled around Elyza to the other side of the bed.

"I put the stuff away in the shed." Elyza felt a kiss against her arm and smiled gently as she continued to draw.

"I think Paige is remembering. We might have to deal with it Elyza." Alicia hated bringing it up but it needed discussed. If Paige remembered their past life her old misunderstandings about Alicia might come up and cause a rift within the group. Elyza stared at the drawing that the was taking shape beneath her hand and paused what she was doing. She turned toward Alicia slightly, gently caressing her cheek with the back of her hand.

"I'll deal with it when it becomes a problem." Elyza smiled at the slight smudge of charcoal she left behind on Alicia's cheek. "You should shower before you sleep though. You smell, love." Elyza smirked to herself, she just wanted to aggravate Alicia. She turned back to her drawing.

"I don't smell that bad Elyza. You smell worse most days."

Abby looked down at the blonde head sitting at their small kitchen table. The young girl before her was of the generation that might make it to the ground and Abby tried her best to answer all of the question her daughter had. They had discussed the stars, the Gods, the way food is grown on the ground, the way oxygen is absorbed. You think of it and Clarke had asked about it. It was when Clarke started asking questions about how the system worked on the Ark did she turn Clarke's attention elsewhere. The Ark wasn't perfect by any means but Abby worried if her daughter learned what Jake had just told her her daughter would surely follow her father's footsteps. Abby was nervous with Jake, the man she had fallen in love with was acting reckless. She worried he would do something to get himself and Clarke floated. She worried there was nothing she could do to stop it and even if she should stop it. If what he had said about the oxygen was true then him being floated might give Clarke another day of oxygen.

"Mom, you're staring at the wall." Clarke pulled her out of her trance. Her brown eyes met blue and she smiled, faking what the frantic panic behind her eyes was doing to her psyche.

"I was just thinking how much I'd love for you to draw one of your murals there." Steer Clarke towards her art, that was always a good strategy when Clarke started to point out the cracks in the walls of everything around her.

"Really?" Clarke's voice seemed to do a 180 from concern to excitement. She turned toward Abby in her chair quickly, almost knocking the cup of water on the table over in the process.

"Yes dear. Please be careful." Abby motioned toward the cup with her eyes. Clarke frowned slightly at the cup of water as though it had offended her and stood up. The jeans she was wearing were her 'painters' paints. They were stained with the dark black of charcoal and with the colorful tones paint can have. The shirt she was wearing used to be white but Abby swore the child had taken paint to it on purpose turning it into art.

"Let me get my art book so we can pick a mural for the wall." Clarke grinned up at Abby and ran across the living room into the hall that held the two bedrooms and the bathroom.  
Abby felt the panic return in Clarkes absence and gripped the table beneath her. She knew her husband. She had a feeling of what was going to happen. She would use her connections, she decided. She would make sure Clarke didn't get involved and if she did, that she wouldn't get floated. They would make it to the ground...they had too.

/

Paige sat up in her bed, gasping for air. Ever since the newest group had shown up she had been having these dreams. They almost seemed like faded memories to her of a life once lived but she didn't want the new group to leave if she asked. She moved some sweaty strands of hair behind her ears and focused on what was around her.

"The sheets." Paige ran her hands over the sheets beneath her, feeling the touch of the fabric.

"My shirt." Paige looked down at her old t-shirt from a volunteer thing she did last spring.

"The nightstand." She glanced over the nightstand, her clock, a lamp, and a book called it home. She could feel the panic from her dream starting to let go. She sighed and kicked the rest of her comforter off. Her feet hit the hardwood beneath her and she grimaced. The cold of the floor seemed to want to go out of its way to make her feet uncomfortable as she shuffled her way to her dresser. She took out a pair of shorts, a bra, and a pair of socks. She could keep on her T-Shirt. The town had seen her look worse during emergencies. She was quickly dressed and headed down the stairs of her home, slipping her tennis shoes on by the door.

The outside air hit her and she sighed as she closed the door behind her. She went to the wall that protected the small town and started to stretch. A run would do her good. She started slow, feeling her leg muscles work as she jogged beside the wall. She was almost to the gate, she decided once she waved at everyone guarding tonight and passed by she would start her sprint and keep it until the new groups house. Only three people sat on top of the gate, watching out. Sometimes that's all that was needed and sometimes if a horde was walking by, she'd have almost everyone armed and on watch. She waved as they looked down at her and once they waved back she turned her gaze back to in front of her and picked up the pace. Once she had completely passed the gate she started her sprint, which is when she pretty much knocked down Elyza. The two went tumbled into the grass, the garden a short distance away to their right.

"Shit, mate!" Elyza was quickly up, dusting herself off. She looked at Paige with a slight scowl.

/

"The grounders are only trying to help us! Why do you always try to wage wars that you know we can't win?" Clarke was pacing in front of her, hands clenched into fists.

"I'm just trying to do what's best for our people Clarke." Abby sighed and had to resist the urge to roll her eyes. Ever since they had come down from space the 100 had been nothing but troublesome. Clarke turned to Abby, a scowl on her face, eyes painted by the sky turned into fire.

"Then you should know that fighting Lexa will only bring more trouble than it's worth. You may chancellor but I've been here longer." Clarke clenched her jaw and left Abby's room, slamming the door behind herself. Paige winced slightly and felt the tears behind her eyes. Her relationship with Clarke had been strained since Jake had been floated. She had used her connections to make sure that Clarke had charcoal to draw with and the best food to eat. It was Abby who had proposed the idea of dropping the 100 down to earth, of monitoring them and instead of ensuring that Clarke would be alive and happy, it seemed to Abby that all Clarke was was alive and angry. The thought made her chest ache but this time, she let the tears flow.

/

Elyza was bent down, wiping the tears from Paige's cheeks. She hadn't meant to yell at the woman but holy shit had she run her over. Elyza moved some loose blonde strands of hair behind her ears so she could see Paige more clearly. The dark was most certainly not helping.

"You a'ight? You hurt? Do I need to go get the medic?" Elyza was searching Paige's eyes but all she seemed to see was a sadness resonating within the older woman.

"Clarke?" Paige furrowed her brow and tentatively reached her hand up, gently touching Elyza's cheek.

"Hey." Elyza's demeanor changed all at once. So Alicia had been right. Damn that woman. Elyza reach out for Paige and pulled her into a hug.

Elyza walked with Paige. Paige had been quiet for a while, deep in thought; deep in memories. Occasionally the brunette would glance over at the blonde and her eyes would brim with tears as her mind raced with thoughts she didn't know how to articulate. Eventually they made it back to Paige's house and as Paige awkwardly shuffled at her door, not knowing what to say, it was Elyza who spoke for the first time in almost 20 minutes.

"I'm not mad at you. For that life. You did love me and Lexa's death...it wasn't your fault." Elyza looked away at the mention of the death. The mention of the event that still haunted her.

"I-I'm sorry I couldn't protect you. That I couldn't help you. I'm all that's left of my family in this life. If, if you'll let me, I'd like to try and make it up to you." Paige bit at her bottom lip and drew blood, an old anxietal habit that she hadn't been able to kick.

"Sure. Look, I have a feeling Azgeda is going to attack sometime and my feelings usually aren't wrong. My group has a meet up point. I'll write down the coordinates when I get home. In this life I might not have been your blood daughter but I will always consider you my mother, Abby." Elyza opened her arms and the older woman stepped into them, sniffling against her shoulder.

"Thank you." Paige stepped out of the hug and smiled at Elyza as she went inside her home.

/

Elyza grabbed her now dead iPod. She had told Alicia she was headed to the mechanics house and that had been just a short while ago. She shuffled on her feet outside of the door to the house of the person that she hoped would be able to help her out. Just as she was about to knock the door swung open revealing a hispanic woman. The woman was slightly shorter than her but clearly had slightly more muscle mass.

"And who might you be?" The dark haired woman leaned against the doorframe. Her white tank top sweaty and grease stained. Her jeans hugged her legs and her combat boots seemed to almost threaten her with all of the buckles that adorned it.

"Elyza Lex." Elyza's eyes met with the woman in front of her.

"Lyndsey Reyes at your service." The woman held out a hand for Elyza. Elyza shook it and resisted the urge to roll her eyes at Lyndsey. "What do you need? I assume you're not here to just look at me, although I've been told I look quite beautiful with car grease on my face." This time Elyza did roll her eyes.

"I found this iPod last trip out and need a solar charger for it." Elyza produced the thing from her pocket and handed it over. Lyndsey narrowed her eyes at it and turned it around in her hand.

"If you bring me an old charger for it I should be able to just kinda make one from the old wiring and some solar panels from a calculator. I am a genius after all. You're new here so I'll fill you in, old money holds no value here. What I want in return is to go on a run with you. I need some things for the shop and no one has a trained eye on what I'm looking for." Lyndsey eyed Elyza and handed the iPod back over.

"Deal. Come find me at the garden when you're ready to leave." Elyza slipped the iPod in her pocket and turned around, hearing the door click behind her.

Lyndsey sat in a chair in the dining room. Elyza looked so familiar to her. She narrowed her eyes in thought as she toyed with the toaster she had been messing with on the table.

/

Raven looked at Clarke and Finn. She had heard the joke that had passed between them and felt her heart break with every word that Finn said to Clarke. He had cheated on her. Granted she had emotionally cheated on him with Abby but, she had remained loyal for the most part. She felt a hand on her shoulder and looked over at Abby, the older woman smiled at her and she found herself unable to resist matching Abby's expression.

"It'll be okay Rae." Abby moved a strand of Raven's hair from in front of her eyes to behind her ear. Their eyes connected and Raven looked between Abby's eyes and lips.

"I'm fine now that you're here." Raven's voice was soft and if Abby hadn't been paying attention she probably would've missed what had been said. Abby's cheeks reddened as she lightly touched Raven's cheek with her free hand.

"Abby" A voice interrupted their moment and Abby practically bounced back 5 feet, clearly trying to hide what she was feeling toward the younger woman.

"What?" She snapped. She hadn't meant to sound so mean but Raven needed her right now and the distractions were starting to get on her nerve.

"Medical needs you." The younger gentleman shuffled on his feet time and looked nervously between Abby and Raven.

"Alright. I'll be there in a few minutes." Abby turned back around to face Raven. "We'll continue this later."

"Okay Abs." Raven got up from her chair in the mess hall and wrapped her arms around Abby's waist, pulling her in for a quick hug. She let Abby go and watched her leave.

/

Lyndsey dropped the screwdriver she had been holding. There's no way. She was making it up, that wasn't a memory...or was it? Lyndsey's head hurt from all of the over thinking she had been doing. She looked back down at the toaster and stood up. Maybe this run with Elyza would help clear her head.

Lyndsey opened the closet by the front door and grabbed her lucky jacket. She swung the door closed behind her and started to walk. It seemed as though her feet had a mind of her own and before she could process what she was doing, she was knocking on Paige's door. It was a few minutes but the door finally opened, revealing Paige in an apron.

"Hey Lyndsey. Everything alright?" Paige stepped aside so Lyndsey could step in.

"Yes...No...Maybe?" Lyndsey walked toward the back of the house and sat in one of the stools at the bar in the kitchen.

"Tell me about it then." Paige went back to cleaning. It might be pointless now, but it gave her mind something to do other to think about the upcoming fight with Azgeda.

"I saw Elyza and now my head is all jumbled. I'm going on a run with her later. Need some supplies. I'm hoping that it clears my head." Lyndsey fiddled with the placemat in front of her. Paige looked over from her spot by the sink. She didn't see Lyndsey siting at her bar, she saw Raven looking at her with confusion and while her memories had returned to her throughout her walk with Elyza, she didn't know how much Lyndsey knew. She didn't want to push the woman away when she had come to her to begin with.

"Maybe it will help. Just be sure you come back, alright? Where else am I gonna find a genius mechanic." Paige teased, turning back to the cabinets.

"I'm the only mechanic you're ever gonna need." Lyndsey smirked as she watched Paige scrub at the cabinet.

"I wouldn't want it any other way." Lyndsey got up from the bar stool. "Thanks for listening Paige. I'll see you when I get back from my time out in the wasteland. Maybe then I can fully explain what my mind is doing." She rubbed her head.

Lyndsey slowly walked up to the garden. Elyza was moving a plant when a brunette woman came over to grab it from her, kissing her cheek. Elyza must have made a crack about something because the smile the brunette flashed was bright and full of love. Lyndsey felt a pang of jealousy as her mind turned toward to the memories that had started to surge since her visit with Paige. She shook her head and walked into the garden, hands in her pants pockets. The brunette stopped short and looked at the approaching woman, eyes wide as if she had just remembered something. The brunette glanced at Elyza and Elyza glanced over at Lyndsey.

"Finally decided to show." Elyza smirked at her, toothpick in her mouth. "This is Alicia, Alicia-"

"Lyndsey, the best mechanic on Earth." Her gaze went from Elyza to Alicia, a smirk pulling at her mouth.

/

"You are the one who gave us the ability to listen to the maunon?" Lexa blinked, no emotion showing in her gaze as she watched the woman in front of her. Clarke standing to her left, Raven nodded. The tent they were in had boxes scattered around. Raven reisisted the urge to just leave but she knew if the poison gas was going to stop then this was crucial. If she could ensure Abby's survival one more day, it was going to be because of what happened in this war. What happened with the mountain and she needed to make sure she was seen as an ally. Getting locked up in Arkadia certainly wouldn't help anyone.

"I am. I can help Clarke at the door. After all, I am the best mechanic on Earth." Raven shrugged, her usual sass covering up how stupid she thought this meeting was. These were the people that killed Finn. This is the woman who tied her to a tree and attempted to kill her for something she hadn't done.

"You will assist Clarke then." The commander's gaze fell back on the map of Mount Weather that Clarke had drawn for them to make plans off. "Go to the door with Clarke and the group she has chosen."

"Yeah." Raven readjusted her weight, the brace squeaking slightly. She cringed. Her weakness being shown before everyone. Lexa's gaze snapped back at her, no pity or embarrassment could be seen in them.

"Go and rest Raven of the sky people. War is upon us." Lexa turned, dismissing her. Raven narrowed her eyes and turned to leave the tent.

/

Elyza's eyebrow raised when Lyndseys gaze when blank. She frowned slightly she when figured she must've been remembering something. She watched as the chestnut brown eyes finally returned to this life. Lyndsey stared at Elyza for a moment.

"To the gate?" Lyndsey looked between Elyza and Alicia.

"Yeah. Let's go." She briefly turned to Alicia, placing a kiss on her nose and whispering words in her ear. Alicia nodded and turned back to her garden. They walked to the gate and were met with the crate and two guards.

Lyndsey watched as Elyza picked out her regular weapons, as Elyza had coined them. The katana around her back and the throwing knives hugging her thigh she stepped out of the way so Lyndsey could pick out her own weapons. A pistol with a waist holster is what she grabbed. She looked up at the guard.

"This is it?" She threw them all a dirty look. If Azgeda ever got in this wouldn't be enough. She frowned. If only Paige had listened to her about the explosives they could've made. The guard shrugged and Lyndsey's gaze returned to the decaying wooden box with wheels. She groaned as she grabbed a machete, opting to just hold it. She had a bag slung across her middle, the bag covering her left leg so that her pistol wasn't covered in case she needed it.

"Let's go." Elyza grumbled. They pulled the gate door and the pair walked out. Elyza started, walking towards the direction of all the shops where her and Alicia had passed by on there way to the Home Depot store.

Lyndsey looked at the houses of the suburban strip of houses in front of the gate. The cars on the street had doors open, leaving behind the ghost of the person who had run out them in fear of the dead. She quickly readjusted her gaze to in front of her. Elyza walked beside her. Equals. It made Lyndsey smile for a moment. All her life she had been underestimated. First by her mother, then by her grandmother, then by her boyfriends, and then slowly by herself. It was the way of her world but now that the dead were living she had decided to turn this into her second chance. She could be one of the last great mechanics out there and her impact could help them survive longer.

"Past the home depot a block to the right is the closest walmart. They might have a calculator left. They might even have what I need." Lyndseys grip changed on the machete in her hand as they passed by some abandoned homes. The homes were slowly turning into businesses and as Lyndsey looked around she couldn't help but to imagine what this city was alike before the dead. Before the gangs formed Azgeda. She imgined children on bikes passing her on the sidewalk, shiny cars cutting each other off on the road. They came to a crossroad where 4 bodies laid strewn about.

"Azgeda don't collect their dead." Elyza tsked. "Alicia and I killed these ones about 3 days ago." They walked around them and headed straight for the Home Depot

"Hopefully we only run into the dead. The living seem to be more ruthless." Lyndsey narrowed her eyes. Her boyfriend had sacrificed himself to save the group. Well, that's what she told herself anyway. He had wanted to storm Azgeda and all that came back to them was his head.

As they approached the Home Depot Elyza crouched down, remembering how many dead were by it before.

"We need to be as quiet as possible. The dead made this their home. You said a block to the right?" Elyza glanced back at Lyndsey who nodded a yes at her. Elyza sighed. Too bad her iPod was dead.

The parking lot of the home depot was covered in groups of the dead. They must've returned after Elyza and Alicia had gotten their supplies. A circle of the headless ones Elyza had killed still remained, flies buzzing around the corpses of the unnamed.

The slowly made their way on the road past the Home Depot, occasionally stopping when Elyza thought they would need to run. Elyza stood up once they had cleared the parking lot and couldn't see any of the horde of dead that had claimed the store.

"Sheesh. Alicia and you walked outta that? Shit." Lyndsey relaxed her grip on the hilt of the weapon she carried. They continued on in silence figuring if that many dead were in Home Depot, no telling how many dead would be in the stores they were going to be passing. The Barnes and Noble to the left seemed barren but they weren't going to stick around to find out. The Panera Bread and other slew of restaurants seemed daunting to the pair who shivered just passing by. Finally they came on the Walmart, the blue on the building finally starting to become a shade darker from the lack of upkeep.

Elyza looked around. It seemed if the outside of the building hadn't seen anything in a while. They came to the doors and Elyza pushed them open. A redbox, claw machine, a few vending machines, and a key making machine lined the entrance to the left. A bench sat in the middle of the entry way defining the directions of the flood of people that came in and left the store.

"Get ready." Elyza warned, unsheathing her own katana. She opened the second set of doors leading inside the supermarket and headed for the closest cart. She grabbed it and ran with it, slamming it into the wall. It made a loud metallic clang that caused Lyndsey to flinch.

"The fuck are you doing?" She spit out. The crazy blonde was going to get her killed.

"They react to-" A few screams were heard as Elyza watched for the dead in the store to appear. She heard the running and then smelled the decaying flesh as the hidden dead headed for what they thought would be their next meal. Elyza sliced through the heads of the ones headed for her.

"Get that end." Elyza briefly pointed in between the killing. She was facing toward the store itself while Lyndsey faced toward the exit from the registers. Lyndey brought her machete down on the head of the first dead that came to her. Using her foot she was able to kick it off of the blade before turning to the next dead. A different scream was heard in the store, it was higher pitched and seemed quicker than the others.

"Fuck, a runner! Be ready Elyza!" Lyndsey waited for which side it would come from. She watched as it turned the corner and sprinted straight for Elyza. Before she could warn the blonde, the woman took off for it meeting it half way. Lyndsey turned, killing another walker before seeing Elyza, getting up, the dead runner at her feet. Elyza ran back over and helped Lyndsey kill the stragglers.

"So, what was it you needed?" Elyza looked at Lyndsey, dried blood from the brains of those laying around them painting her skin and clothes.

"Calculator and old charger from you. I'll go and find what I need." Elyza shrugged and headed off toward where she thought she could find a calculator. She paced the aisles, grabbing some left over paint and squeezing it on the ground. Her fingers set to work creating an image of Lyndsey and her machete. She hummed at the finish product and signed the bottom of it with an 'x'. She turned and headed into the next aisle. Party supplies littered the floor. Spongebob and Paw Patrol mixing with Disney Princess and Yo Gabba Gabba. She spit out her tooth pick and grabbed a Paw Patrol party blower. She blew into it and watched the end extend into a blue paper tube. She spit it out and grabbed a new toothpick from her pocket. She finally reached the calculators and grabbed whatever ones were left. A regular scientific calculator and a smaller calculator that you would see in the offices of important people or accountants. Definitely accountants, Elyza decided.

She headed towards the electronics and paused at the clothes that seemed untouched. She quickly threw her blood spattered clothes off and had replaced them with a workout shirt, the blue fabric stretching over her and showing off her defined muscles, and a pair of blue skinny jeans. She had to improvise a belt since the waist was slightly bigger but she made due with some shoelace from the shoe department. She headed back towards the electronics and browsed the leftover things. Phone cases littered the floor. Her iPod had the wide charger but maybe she should get one of each phone just in case she comes across others. She could collect old iPod and mp3 players. She smiled. Of all the mundane things to collect.

"Found it?" Lyndsey caused Elyza to jump, a hand instantly going for her throwing knives. Lyndsey's eyes went wide for a second, blinking as she understood what had happened.  
"Sorry, I'll be louder next time."

"Yeah I found it. No promises I won't kill you next time." She handed over the calculators and the chargers. Lyndsey put it into her pouch.

"Nice outfit change."

"Thought you didn't like the blood look." She had noticed Lyndsey looking strangely at her after their fight with the dead.

"I found what I needed. We can head back to the Ark now."

"Let's go." Elyza lead the way.

It had been about two weeks since the run with Lyndsey. Alicia and Elyza had slipped into a routine and had found that this new place was starting to become home. To Eliza's amusement Lyndsey seemed to avoid her unless necessary. They hadn't even met so Elyza could get her solar charger for her iPod; Lyndsey had simply stuck it in the mailbox and put the flap up. Paige, on the other hand, seemed to never want to let Elyza alone. She visited with her at least twice a day and it was starting to get on Elyza's nerve. They talked about their older life and they talked about this one. Paige wasn't a medical doctor in this life but was a mental one; which Elyza rolled her eyes at. Her mother was always doing something impressive it seemed. Elyza told her of this life and how she came to the United States when she was from Australia. They swapped stories from when the dead started walking and from when they fell from the stars to the ground. How scared she was for Elyza when Elyza was Clarke. How sorry she was when Lexa had died. They had healed a little but damn if Elyza couldn't get a few moments to herself.

Elyza stared at Paige's house. She could see the outline of another woman through the window and ducked behind a trashcan as she watched Lyndsey leave the house. She looked flushed for sure, her hair definitely looking like something had been going on. She waited a few minutes before walking into Paige's house.

"Paige?" She waited down by the stairs and then shrugged, heading into the kitchen. Paige was by the sink, a little frazzled, her hands gripping the edge of the sink.

"Huh?" She looked blankly at Elyza.

"Abby." Raven moaned against lips that seemed to know exactly how to kiss her. Abby smiled against the younger woman and leaned back, taking in the flushed appearance of the woman before her.

"You never cease to amaze me Rae." Abby allowed the love she felt to show in her eyes, lighting up her expression. In this moment Raven felt as though she could accomplish anything, as though if she wished it she wouldn't even the brace on her leg or the lungs in her chest to breathe.

"I love you Abby." Raven gently brushed some of Abby's golden brown hair back behind her ear.

"Paige." A deep voice rang out in the house. Elyza looked in the direction of the voice. "Paige." The voice seemed more urgent as the man who belonged to it came into the kitchen. He sized up Elyza for a moment and turned to Paige, whose back was to him. He had shaggy brown hair and was clearly one of the younger guards.

"Yes, Frank?" She stepped away from the sink.

"It's Azgeda. They're on their way here." Elyza looked at Paige who seemed at a loss for words.

"Arm the guards. They're going to try and break down the gate. Set the traps at the entrance. You know what to do." Paige nodded at Frank as he turned and sprinted out of the house back towards the gate.

"I'll go warn everyone, you go get armed and ready. You remember where the meet up spot is in case we get separated?" Elyza asked, she had started towards the hallway that led to the exit of the house.

"Walk east to Stallion Oaks and then walk north east to the Moore Ranch. You said you'd leave a trail behind. I know what to look for." Elyza nodded at her and then impulsively quickly walked back to Paige. She put her arms around the slightly older woman and then quickly released her. "I'll have your sword and Alicia bat ready. You'll want a gun this time Elyza."

"Give me what you can." Elyza nodded at her one last time and the headed out. She seemed pleased to find that someone had already notified everyone to get armed. Alicia quickly found her way to Elyza, her hand breifly touching Elyza's cheek.

"I packed our things." She motioned to the backpack she was wearing. "Here." She handed Elyza her sword, throwing knives, and a pistol that she pulled from in between her jeans and her back. Alicia's bat stuck out of the backpack and something new was in her hand, a gun. Elyza frowned but understood why she had it. The dagger was around Alicia's thigh and something small was in her pocket.

"Everyone go and hide. Let them enter and then we'll start our assault." Paige was standing on a box in front of the small crowd of people.

"Paige! They're bringing a hoard of walkers with 'em! We need to evac!" One of the guards screamed from the top of the gate.

"Fuck." Elyza whispered. This wasn't good. The only way in and out was the gate. They would have to wait until Azgeda came in and then fight through the dead to leave. She looked at Alicia and she nodded. Alicia knew what they have to do so they went to the garden, leaving the crowd behind.

"When they come through we have to run, we need to get back to that gas station from before. Remember the motorcycle we hid? That's our ticket to the Ranch." Elyza was talking to talk. They had already discussed this in case something happened. Everyone knew where to meet up. Everyone knew what to do.

"We'll get there. If we survived the time I got kidnapped, we can certainly survive this. Arcadia will split up and meet at my great uncle's ranch. Then we can regroup. It'll be alright." Alicia smiled at Elyza, the sun shining in the browns of her eyes, the hope she felt radiating off of her.

The SUV's of Azgeda crashed through the gate. The SUV's had been painted on the sides in blue spray paint and was decked out with metal additives that had the dead groaning off of them. Elyza grabbed Alicia's hand to pull her toward the gate so they could escape. They rounded the house in front of the garden when the gunfire started. The guards on top were aiming at Azgeda instead of the dead. Elyza unsheathed her sword as she ran into the thick of everything. The dead were climbing on everything and going everywhere. They were spreading within Arcadia like a wildfire and it sickened Elyza. Not everyone would make it out of here today but she needed to make sure Alicia and herself did. She sliced the heads off of the nearby walkers, their groans and shuffling of feet only adding to the sounds of the gun fire. An Azgeda soldier decked out in military gear; probably stolen; turned toward her. She went with her instinct and grabbed a throwing knife from the ones strapped to her thigh and flung it toward her target. He managed to get one bullet out of his gun before the knife sunk itself into his throat. Elyza looked at her arm. Blood was pouring out and she sighed. She could take care of it once they reached the motorcycle. Her gaze returned to all of the dead coming towards her. The blood made her stand out. The first wave that came stopped at the Azgeda soldier, his eyes still staring at the sky above with the blue war paint he wore dripping onto the asphalt below him. It was a gory scene and Elyza went back to killing a path out, Alicia behind her stabbing with the dagger from her hip.  
They were almost to the gate when a woman stood on top of one of the SUV's her warpaint making her look frightening. Elyza narrowed her eyes and decided to continue for the exit, not wanting to get distracted.

"I told you I would be back Paige." She shouted across the sounds of gunfire and the dead. Alicia looked across the sea of dead at Paige, who was still killing the dead around her. Paige ignored the woman and that just seemed to aggravate her. The woman pulled out a pistol and looked through the crowd, spotting Alicia who was staring at her as she moved toward the gate. She aimed the gun and Paige looked over.

"Clarke!" She screamed. They still had so much to talk about, so much to do. Elyza turned and looked at the woman on the SUV, guts and pieces of the dead seemed to cling to Elyza and she hated it. She quickly grabbed one of the dead beside her and Alicia put her dagger in its head. They moved the now officially dead, dead person to sit in between the gun and them.

"They aren't noticing us!" Elyza yelled over to Alicia. They were both covered in brown and gray from the dead and while it stunk maybe smelling like the dead is what would get them out of this alive. They changed the pace they were walking and slowly went against the crowd of the dead. The gate was just ahead. They were almost through. They dropped the one they had used as a shield as they passed under the gate, now far enough from the woman that if she tried to shoot she would just hit the swarm around them.

Just as they were almost out of the swarm two Azgeda soldiers stepped out from behind a car. Elyza sighed and chose to ignore them by just walking straight ahead. One of them pulled a gun, the small little thing the soldier was.

"Put that away. You look 13." Elyza stared down at the boy painted in blue. His hair was shiney and stuck to his head with sweat. He slowly lowered the gun.

"You didn't see us." Alicia stepped forward, the thing from her pocket had been a butterfly knife that she now twirled and messed with in her hand to intensify her threat. Elyza was impressed.

"W-we didn't see you." Alicia nodded at him and slipped the knife back in her pocket. Elyza and Alicia exchanged looks and broke out into a run, Elyza leading. She took them through some stores and a few empty houses just in case those boys were trying to follow them.

They finally passed the gas station from where they had lived for two weeks and Elyza shuddered. She had hated that place, hated the time they had spent there. They kept going past it and into the neighborhood behind it. A left turn and a few houses down and they were there. Elyza opened the gate to the backdoor, the dead that followed them didn't stand much of a chance against her blade as they went down and hit the soil. Alicia stood at a vantage point between the entrance to the back of the house and the opening of the gate to the back yard, just in case. Elyza got the shed opened and sighed a happy sigh when the motorcycle was still there. She slowly rolled it out of the shed, not wanting to scratch it up. She looked at the keyhole and sighed. Fortunately for her she knew how to get it started without a key.

She looked along the side of the motorcycle locating the ignition wiring coming out of the handlebar area. The three coloured wires bundled together in a wiring sleeve. Elyza smiled as she found the point where the three coloured wires ended with a plastic wiring cap along the body of the bike. The cap will had another group of wires plugged into it and Elyza pulled the caps apart and let the ignition wiring hang down; holding onto the lower portion of the wiring. She inserted one end of the speaker wire into one of the eyes of the cap socket. Then she bent the wire and inserted the other end into another eye socket. She had to rearrange the wires a couple times but the fourth try worked as the lights came on of the motorcycle. She pressed the ignition button on the throttle and grinned as she sat down on the motorcycle and relaxed, Alicia turning toward her surprised as she secured the backpack on her back. She sat behind Elyza and held on as they took off toward her Uncle's ranch.

Elyza slowed down the bike as they came within 5 miles. The noise would attract any dead around and they had already had to stop several times to kill the small hordes growing behind the bike. The sun was just starting to come up and it painted the distant mountains in a swirl of purples and oranges. Alicia looked ahead, narrowing her eyes as they got nearer to her uncle's ranch. If anyone could survive this it was her Uncle Phil. They approached the gate 'Smith Ranch' was scrawled across the front of the gate in metal, the mailbox covered in horse shoes. Alicia looked past the gate at the dead that stood between here and the house and grabbed her baseball bat from her book bag.

"Elyza. My family." It came out as whisper and if Elyza had been any farther away from her she wouldn't have heard it.

"We'll find them babe." Elyza shut the bike off and opened the gate to the farm. Her sword at the ready, she calmly walked into the farm. They needed to get the house. The house itself was a white farmhouse. The traditional kind people tend to think of and it sort of annoyed Elyza. The house was up on a slight hill, the barn down the other side and to the right. She had a bad feeling and didn't really want Alicia to come along but if her family had changed, she had a right to know. She walked the bike in and set it beside the entrance. They faced toward the house and started towards it. The grass bent under their feet as they approached the first few undead.

Elyza stepped forward, slicing right and left, the undead's heads rolled across the grass leaving black and clotted blood behind them. Alicia approached the next swinging her bat as hard as she could against it's dried out, flaky gray skin. It fell to the ground, a dull thump. They calmly started toward the house, opting to walk. The dead were going to have to be burned anyway and all of them on the property needed to be killed. Elyza could feel her exhaustion start to settle but pushed it back. There was no time to be tired right now. She could sleep later.

Alicia hit the next one with her bat, getting it stuck in it's skull. It wasn't dead yet but Elyza was there and quickly made work of it. Alicia put her foot on it's neck, the remnants of it going around her sneaker. It grossed her out and made her free her baseball bat all that much quicker. There were only a few left between them and the door to the house. Alicia looked over at Elyza, blonde hair blowing behind her in the slight breeze. Her sky blue eyes scanning in front of them.

"I'll take the one on the right sweetheart." She adjusted her grip on her sword and ran towards it, slicing it's skull diagonally. Alicia ran towards the one on the left. She hit it once, twice, and finally a third time. Straightening up at Elyza's shadow over her she headed towards the house. She propped her baseball bat against the outside of the house, unsheathing her dagger from her thigh. It would be easier to use inside, she reasoned with herself. Elyza held the door open, sword loosely held.

"After you babe." She watched Alicia head inside and followed, slamming the door behind her. That would certainly get their attention if anyone was inside. The entered into the kitchen. It was a homey kitchen with an apple theme. There were dishes strewn about and above the sink there was a window that looked into the living room. Alicia paused by the pictures on the wall. Her goofy cousins were posing by a chestnut horse.

"Robby." Alicia whispered, barely touching the glass of the frame before Elyza dove in front of her, slicing at the head of the undead in front of her. It was the boy from the picture and Alicia struggled to contain the sob as the body of her cousin hit the hardwood flooring of the house. Her cousin had a bite mark on his right arm, his star wars shirt barely clinging to his form.

"Maybe my Uncle made it out." She wiped at a tear before heading through the kitchen and into the dining room, glancing at her cousin on the floor.

"If he's like you he did." Elyza scanned the dining room. It looked as if they had been caught mid meal. Rotten food covered the table, Elyza putting her shirt over her nose. She decided smelling her own BO was better than smelling the rotten food. She quickly exited into the hallway and turned into the bathroom. She glanced behind the shower curtain to make sure nothing was hiding. Alicia heard the shuffling from the living room before Elyza and headed down the hall into the living room. The window looking into the kitchen to her left as she passed the scene she came onto made her pale.

Her uncle was on top of her aunt. He tore a chunk out of her leg and chewed vigorously. Her Uncle's stomach was over extended from her aunt, her blood dripping from his chin down the white shirt he was wearing and then onto his overalls. She choked back a sob. Her Uncle looked as thought he had turned a day ago, the decomposition that came with the undead having not settled onto his features yet.

"Uncle Phil? You really got yourself into a mess this time." She whispered. Her Uncle's black eyes turned to her, smelling the new blood and the potential for a new meal. He stood quickly, his stomach hitting the coffee table as he got up. Elyza calmly came out from behind Alicia.

"I got this." Elyza put a hand on Alicia's shoulder, their eyes meeting briefly.

"No. He's my Uncle. I should...I should do it." She stood behind the couch and watched her Uncle toddle over, trying to climb over the couch. He reached for her and once he was near enough she reached forward, shoving her dagger through his temple. It went in with a nice sound and she quickly released it, falling to the floor as her emotions finally took a hold of her. Elyza dropped with her, pulling her into a hug.

"I'm here Alicia. I'm here." Elyza whispered against the top of her head.

/

Clarke looked at her mom. The tears that came to her eyes she had tried to will back in. Love was weakness she had decided. But only after Lexa's death left a hole in her heart. She wiped furiously at her face, willing the world to stop turning. Bellamy had been insistant upon her returning to the Ark after she died but she couldn't bring herself too. She needed to see Lexa's legacy carried out. Needed to make sure she held the coalition together for her.

She felt her Mother's arms wrap around her, pulling her out of her trance.

"If we can get through your father's death, we can get through this Clarke." She said softly. Clarke barely registered the words. Atleast her mother had her, a living walking breathing reminder of the love she had for her father. Clarke only had sketches and memories to remember Lexa by. Learning to shoot a bow, learning to ride a horse, learning which plants she could eat. Lexa had taught her more than anyone she had ever known and she was dead. She couldn't save her. She should have saved her. She was wanheda. So why couldn't she comand death to bring her back?

"I loved her Mom." Clarke said into her mother's shoulder.

"I know Clarke." Her mother ran her fingers up and down her back, trying to sooth her.

/

Elyza wiped the tear away at the sudden memory, Alicia looking up at her.

"Tell me about them." Elyza finally let her sword go, setting it down beside them but close enough that if she needed to grab it again she could.

"My Uncle Phill is my Mom's older brother. He's my only Uncle. I have no Aunts. My cousin Robby was one of a kind. He hated this ranch. He always told me when he was older he was going to go to the city and do big things. My Aunt's cobbler was a legend. She once ended a fight between my Uncle and my Mom. They hadn't talked in over a year when we came for Robby birthday. She made her cobbler, sat them down, and they talked it out. We always said her cobbler could end wars. If only..." Alicia trailed off, the tears coming to her eyes again.

"They won't be forgotten Alicia. I promise." Elyza kissed Alicia's cheek. "I need to finish clearing out the Ranch though. Why don't you check the upstairs and then we'll burn the bodies and clean up the house a bit?" Elyza offered. Maybe busing Alicia would help her. It always helped Lexa.

"Yeah...yeah. You're right. There's still stuff that needs done. I can cry tonight." Alicia wiped her eyes one last time, turning slightly and capturing Elyza in a searing kiss. "Thanks babe. I love you. Be safe out there okay?" Forest green eyes locked with sky blue in a silent plead.

"Of course sweetheart." Elyza grabbed her sword from the floor and stood up. She extended her hand out and pulled Alicia up. She walked over to the stairs and turned back to Alicia, saluting her with two fingers. "Be back in a bit."


End file.
